Fortune
by Hesaluti
Summary: Hermione has left Hogwarts and owns her own potion ingredients shop. When she is asked for help with a unique potion that could make her a fortune she finds herself in trouble. Not surprising because the customer just happens to be a certain Draco Malfoy.
1. Customer Service

**Hi - how quickly I'm back! This story is different again from my others...hope you like it!**

Hermione sat staring at the figures on the sheet in front of her, frowning. The shop was making a small profit, which was good, of course but it wasn't enough for her to be able to pay Joshua back and she really wanted to do that as soon as possible so she could cut all ties with him. Only two days ago, he'd been into the shop accompanied by his brand new fiancée, a pretty and charming girl called Antoinette (Hermione really wanted to dislike her but couldn't). He was more forceful than usual, impatient and demanding and Hermione knew it was all for Antoinette's benefit. He wanted more regular updates of the accounts. He'd even mentioned getting a formal agreement in place as to how Hermione could buy his share of the shop off him quickly because now he was getting married, he needed the money.

Why she had ever included him in the purchase of the business, Hermione didn't know but it had seemed right and natural at the time. The shop was in a great position in Diagon Alley and Hermione had known it would be snapped up quickly. She was no-where near being able to afford it on her own, even with her parent's generous help so she'd asked for investment. Harry and Ron who were both earning had been happy to become silent partners so she and Joshua only had to find half between them. Joshua had wanted to be involved, not just as silent partner and he'd helped her set the shop up and even served the customers when he had time.

Things had gone well for six months, the shop which Hermione had named The Mixing Pot, had thrived. Hermione applied for her Special Ingredients Dispensing License so that she could stock and sell some of the more expensive and unusual potion ingredients. On top of that, Hermione was always available to give advice on mixing potions and she was in demand. As time had gone on, Joshua's initial burst of interest had waned and his visits to the shop became few and far between. Hermione had to hire staff and she had three people working for her, including Ginny. Unfortunately, Joshua didn't handle it very well when Hermione was so busy and working long hours, therefore spending less and less time with him and it began to drive a wedge between them. So it wasn't exactly a surprise when he'd sat her down one day and told her it was over, personally and professionally. He'd been pleasant and understanding, agreeing that Hermione could buy his share of the business back from him as soon as she could afford it. That was nearly a year ago and he was now applying pressure.

Hermione sighed and closed the accounts book. Staring at it wasn't going to change the figures. She was going to have to come up with another plan. The door from the shop swung open and Ginny came rushing in.

"Hermione! Guess! You'll never guess!" Ginny's eyes were alight and she was clasping her hands together.

"Guess what?" Hermione asked dully, not really in the mood to get excited about very much.

"Guess who's just walked in and is right this minute scanning the shelves. You'll never guess!"

"Why don't you just tell me then?" Hermione knew she was being ungracious but Ginny didn't seem to notice, she was so caught up in her own enthusiasm. She leant close to Hermione and lowered her voice.

"Malfoy! Draco bloody Malfoy, that's who!"

Hermione's eyebrows shot up. This was indeed news because they hadn't seen him since they had all left school. She knew he'd set up his own company, selling potions and other magical items but it didn't interfere with Hermione's little shop. For a start it was on a much grander scale and everything was sold in bulk. Any potions Draco's company sold were fully mixed and sold in large containers. This was innovative, having never been done before on such a large scale. Apart from his business he seemed to have kept a very low profile, he was never in the headlines and Hermione had no idea about his personal life at all. Not that she wanted to know. So what was he doing in her little shop, apparently looking for something? Did he even know it was her shop? Probably not.

"Well go on then!" Ginny was waving her hand at Hermione, indicating the door. "Go and serve him."

"What? Why can't you serve him?" Hermione said, having no wish whatsoever to see her former enemy.

"Because you need to see him, that's why!" Ginny said.

"Why do I need to see him? I remember his perfectly well, thank you. Blonde, tall, pale with a arrogant sneer. I'm not in any hurry to refresh my memory."

"But he's changed! You need to see him...he's all grown up and..." Ginny stopped and bit her lip, making Hermione stare at her, wondering what the heck she was on about.

"And...?" Hermione prompted her.

"Gorgeous." Ginny said the word on a breath of air and grinned. Hermione's eyes opened wide in astonishment.

"Gorgeous? You've just described Draco Malfoy as gorgeous? Are you feeling okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine! I mean, lots of girls thought he was hot at school but this is different. He really is hot now! Tall and muscular and sort of oozing sexiness! Really, that's why you have to look," Ginny said and she grabbed Hermione's arm.

"No! I don't care what he looks like! I don't want to see him. He's your customer, you serve him." Hermione's voice was forceful and Ginny gave her a glare before retreating back through the door to the shop. Hermione sighed, at least Ginny hadn't slammed the door this time. She'd done an awful lot of storming around, snapping everyone's head off lately and Hermione was beginning to wonder what was causing it. Ginny had always had a temper but generally she was a happy go lucky girl so her recent, irratic behaviour was out of character.

Hermione heard a deep voice that she recognized and despite her insistence to Ginny that she had no interest in seeing or meeting the new and supposedly improved Mr Malfoy, she crept to the door and slid it open a fraction. She could hear perfectly now because Malfoy was standing right next to the door, his back to it. She could only see a tiny part of his hair and shoulders but she'd recognize the distinctive blonde locks anywhere.

"So you're Granger's skivvy now then, Weaslette?" The drawling voice reached Hermione's ears and she immediately felt her hackles rise, partly from habit and partly from the tone and words that where being used.

"I'm not her skivvy, I work here!" Ginny replied. "And my name isn't Weaslette!"

"Oh! Have you and Potter finally got hitched then? What do you see in him?" Malfoy said and Hermione clenched her fists.

"No, not yet, not that it's anything to do with you!" Ginny answered, her voice still calm, for now! "I meant that I have a perfectly respectable first name that I would like you to use, Malfoy!"

"Ginerva..." Malfoy said her name, as if he was testing a foreign word. "Is this the way you speak to all your customers?"

"You're not a customer yet, you haven't brought anything." Ginny pointed out and Hermione chuckled at her friend.

"I don't think you have what I want," Malfoy said, his tone implying a double meaning and Hermione heard Ginny sigh loudly.

"I think you should leave..."

"Does Granger know you're turning customers away? Maybe I should speak to the owner..."

"Is that why you're here? Just to torment, Hermione? Or do you actually want anything?" Ginny's voice was no longer calm.

"Don't you know the customer is always right?" Malfoy asked and Hermione could hear amusement in his voice. He was obviously finding all this funny and Hermione decided it was time to intervene. She'd left it too late though because she heard Ginny lower her voice.

"Get stuffed, get lost and go get a life, Malfoy!"

The next thing the door burst open and Hermione had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit. Ginny's eyes were flaming and she glared at Hermione.

"I refuse to serve him! If he ever comes back, I'm telling you now, he's all yours!"

Hermione held her hands up. "Okay, okay! I'm sorry! Obviously it's only his looks that have improved because he was as obnoxious as ever," she paused and rubbed her chin. "I just hope he wasn't planning on placing a huge order and you've just kicked him out of the shop!"

Ginny shrugged, moodily. "Some things aren't worth any amount of money, Hermione and dealing with him is one of them."

**There you go...some familiar themes as always but the set up is different. This one is going to be a bit more laid back than Legend which was heavy on plot. Hope you like it so far...let me know. Chapter 2 up very soon to get the story going. x**


	2. Lock in

It was the following evening and Hermione was alone at the shop which was due to close in five minutes. She was yet again pouring over the accounts, this time at the desk that was at the back of the shop, in case a customer arrived. The accounts were as frustrating as ever. She'd sent Ginny home an hour ago because she'd been in a foul mood all day, snapping and snarling at everyone. At lunch time she'd sat in the back room, chewing unenthusiastically on a sandwhich and complaining that she felt unwell and ached all over. Hermione sighed loudly. She needed Ginny, she was a great sales person and she had also been a very good student at Hogwarts which meant she knew her stuff and could give advice to most questions. It was strange that she was suddenly acting so out of character. Hermione wondered if it was anything to do with Harry but they still seemed very happy together. Their relationship was strong and they made a good team so it seemed unlikely but Hermione couldn't think of anything else.

She turned the page of the ledger and started to add up today's sales when a thought suddenly hit her. Ginny's mood swings and feeling unwell made something pop into her head.

"Pregnant!" Hermione lifted her head, stopped adding the column of figures and said the word out loud.

"Are you? You've worked out what sex is then? Didn't think you had it in you?" The voice made Hermione literally jump out of her seat and gasp. "Will it have ginger hair? Poor little sod!" She swung round to see Malfoy standing just to the right of the desk, leaning on one of the shelves, his arms folded in front of him. He didn't look like he'd just arrived and she wondered how long he'd been standing there.

"Malfoy!" she managed, her heart thudding in her chest. He really had made her jump.

"The one and only," Draco said with a smirk that hadn't changed one iota from school. Arrogant, sneering and belittling. "So when can we expect to hear the patter of ugly, freckly, ginger offspring then?"

"What?" Hermione asked, frowning. His surprise arrival had scrambled her brain and she stared at him uncomprehendingly. What the hell was he on about?

"You just said you were pregnant. I'm presuming it's Weasley's or did you come to your senses?" Draco moved closer, his eyes surveying firstly her, which made her skin crawl and then the desk. She snapped the ledger shut and glared at him.

"Not that it's anything to do with you but I haven't dated Ron since we left Hogwarts and I am most definitely not pregnant by him or anyone else! I was thinking about one of the potion ingredients," she said all this through gritted teeth, wanting to just kick him out as Ginny had done but that last thing she needed was rumours starting so she wanted to put him in the picture before he left. Draco raised his eyebrows at her.

"Keep your knickers on, Granger! You said it, not me!" Draco defended himself. "I thought it would be a miracle, after all you have to have sex to get pregnant and you seem just as uptight as you always were so..."

Hermione pointed at the door. "Leave now!" she instructed him but he didn't move an inch.

"I was just joking, Granger. Get a sense of humour, will you?" Draco grinned at her, not in the least bothered by her outraged reaction and she had to fight the urge to grab him around the throat.

"Very funny, I'm sure. Why is the joke always at my expense? What is it that you want, Malfoy? As it's obviously not an ingredient or some advice on how to brew a potion I suggest you bugger off right now!"

"Great customer service in here isn't there?" Draco stepped forward again and now he was so much closer, Hermione found herself staring at him. Ginny hadn't been lying about his appearance. Despite her completed hatred for him and the less than friendly conversation they were having she couldn't deny that he was...Ginny's adjective sprung to mind and it fitted him perfectly...gorgeous. He was still Malfoy, blonde, slim, pale but he had filled out and Hermione could see well defined muscles beneath he tight fitting clothes. These, as always were obviously expensive, oozing style and quality and he wore them with confidence, moving with grace and poise. It was as if the Malfoy she'd gone to school with had been honed and toned to utter male perfection. His lips still held that arrogant smirk but his face seemed less stiff, his features lively and warm. Sitting on top of this perfection was the distinctive, platinum blonde hair which looked like he'd just ran his hands through it but Hermione guessed it had taken hours to perfect. He waved his hand in front of her face and she realized she'd been staring unashamedly. "Hello? Did you hear me? I said that I wanted both?" he spoke, slowly and clearly as if she wouldn't understand him if he didn't.

"What? You want both of what?" Hermione asked, taking a step backwards and trying not to look at him.

"You said if I didn't want an ingredient or advice on a potion then I should...bugger off...which was charming, by the way. I said that actually I want both!" Malfoy was returning her stare, his eyes watching her closely.

"Oh." Hermione responded with a monosyllable as his answer had taken the wind out of her sails. She couldn't really argue with him if that was indeed what he wanted. She shook herself, trying to engage her brain. "Why would the grand business mogul, Draco Malfoy need to buy potion ingredients from my little shop? And what advice can I give you? I thought Potions was you're best subject at school and now you own a company that sells them by the bucket load, why do you need my help?"

Malfoy cleared his throat and glanced towards the door. "When do you close?"

Hermione glanced at the clock. "Five minutes ago, why?"

"Lock up then so I can talk to you." Draco's tone had the usual command in it and Hermione grimaced.

"I'm not sure if you understand the concept but closing time it's generally when the customers leave," she waved towards the door. "So, please do so. I have no wish to talk to you or deal with you so go and find someone that does." Hermione realized she was being equally as rude as Ginny had been but she didn't care.

"Can't do that, sorry. It has to be you," Draco's smirk had gone and he was shuffling slightly, looking serious. Hermione, who had been about to launch into another tirade, stopped abruptly. What the hell did that mean? It had to be her? Why? As if he could read her mind, he continued. "I can't trust anyone else and you're the best at what you do...so it has to be you." Hermione stared at him, suspiciously. What was he up to? It sounded dodgy and she didn't like it. Nevertheless, he had piqued her interest and she was now conducting an internal debate as to whether she should kick him out right now or actually listen to him. After a few moments she nodded her head.

"Okay, wait here while I lock up." She turned towards the door but not before she seen him breathe a sigh of relief. Her hands were trembling as she locked the door and turned off some of the lights. Why was she locking herself in with Draco Malfoy and what was all this about? This had trouble written in bright red, flashing letters all over it!

**Hee hee! Chapter 2 and a very snarky, sarcastic Draco. Hope it's got you interested...keep reading and please review. x**


	3. How many times do I have to say no!

Hermione returned to Draco to find him sitting at her desk, flicking through the Ledger. She couldn't believe the cheek of him! How dare he look at her private information.

"Malfoy!" she went to snatch the Ledger from him but he was too quick, pulling it back so she couldn't reach it. "Put that down now! It's private!"

"Who's Joshua? Father of the baby?"

"I'm not pregnant!" Hermione had a sudden flash of memory at the frustration and anger caused by spending five minutes with Malfoy. "I mean it, Malfoy. Give me that back."

Draco stood up and passed it back to her. "It's not great is it, Granger? I mean the shop seems to be doing okay but why do you owe this Joshua all that money?"

"Mind your own business!" Hermione snatched the Ledger off him, she grabbed his arm and dragged him towards the door. "Now you really are leaving!"

"I haven't told you what I wanted yet..." Draco said, letting himself be dragged to about half way down the shop before he applied the brakes. Hermione couldn't move him and she stamped her foot in utter frustration.

"I don't care what you want! I hate you and I hate your attitude and I don't want your business! I will not re-live my six years of hell at Hogwarts with you!"

"Oh please! Stop being so bloody dramatic!"

"I'm not being dramatic. How dare you waltz in here, telling me what to do, nosing through private business papers and then having the audacity to comment on them?" Hermione had her fists clenched. Right now she could seriously thump him one in his handsome face.

"I dare because if we're about to go into business together..." Draco began.

"What? Go into business together?" Hermione sounded incredulous. "I wouldn't go into business with you if you were the last person on earth!"

Draco watched her for a moment, then chuckled. "You should have been an actress! Listen, Granger I have an offer you won't be able to refuse," he wriggled his eyebrows at her, "an offer that could make you your fortune. Plus you get to work with me!"

Hermione had had enough and almost as a gut reaction she stepped towards him and started thumping him in the chest. It actually hurt her hands but she continued anyway. After a moment of surprise, Draco grabbed both her hands and put them behind her back. He then marched her backwards until her back was up against one of the shelves. They were close and she could smell his aftershave. She was staring at his shoulder blade, still angry but he had a tight hold of her and she was powerless.

"Let go of me, now! You can't come in here and manhandle me! We're not a school now and I demand you treat me with respect!" Hermione had lowered her voice but her meaning was clear and after a moment looking at her, Draco let go of her hands and stepped away. He held his hands up.

"You were thumping me, remember? I told you I needed you! I respect your skills – why do you think I'm here instead of at some other shop?" Draco asked, looking at her from under his lashes.

"Well you need to work on your presentation!" Hermione answered. "Now I want you to leave."

Draco shrugged. "Fine! Miss the opportunity of a lifetime then!"

"Fine!" Hermione spat back at him. Without another word he walked to the door, turned the key and disappeared.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Hermione returned from buying some supplies to find the shop full and all three members of staff serving. Hermione glanced over at Ginny who was serving an elderly couple. She seemed in a pleasant mood but she did look a little pale. Hermione dumped the supplies out the back and then returned to the shop to serve some of the customers who were waiting around. It continued busy until past lunch time and by the time Hermione had let all the others have a break she was starving. She decided that she would take a proper break now because she intended to stay late to put the new stock away. She walked down Diagon Alley, soaking up the warm spring sunshine and stopping now and again to look in the windows. That was when she saw him, his unmistakable blonde hair coming towards her. She dived into the nearest corner, pretending to look in the shop window until he had passed. Was he going to her shop again? After she had made her feelings abundantly clear yesterday? Well he'd be disappointed wouldn't he? She was going to have a long lunch!

When she got back the shop it was only about half an hour until closing and it was a lot quieter. Ginny was rearranging a shelf and she called Hermione over as soon as she entered.

"Sorry about this but you have a visitor waiting," she nodded her head towards the back of the shop but Hermione didn't need to turn around and look because she knew who is was. "Laura told him he could wait, she doesn't know he's a walking pain in the arse," Ginny explained, referring to one of the other members of staff. "Anyway, he used his charm on her so the poor girl didn't stand a chance."

"Great! This is just what I need," Hermione grumbled.

"What does he want? Do you know?"

"Sort of. Something about helping with a special potion? Anyway, I'll go and get rid of him." Hermione approached Draco who watched her, his face serious. "I thought I'd made it clear yesterday that you aren't welcome," Hermione said as soon as she was within his earshot.

"I think hitting me in the chest got the message across, thanks," Draco answered, his face sulky.

"And yet here you are!" Hermione said, sarcastically.

"Because I don't have a choice. I can't do this without you so I'm here to persuade you to help me." Draco's answer was entirely honest and his tone was completely different to yesterday. Hermione stared at him suspiciously not entirely sure if she wasn't just being manipulated by a very clever and very manipulative ex Slytherin. "So how can I persuade you?" Draco asked and she saw the corners of his mouth lift into the tiniest smile. He really was unbelievable! He seemed to think he was god's gift to the earth and that a few slimy words accompanied by a flashy smirk would persuade anyone to do anything. Hermione could see how any unsuspecting female could be fooled, after all he did look like he was indeed, god's gift to the earth. Today he looked even better than yesterday because he was wearing a black jacket instead of his cloak. She shook her head and firmly pushed her assessment of him to the back of her mind.

"I don't even know what you want me to do but whatever it is, you can't persuade me! The flashy smile and sucking up won't work with me, Malfoy," Hermione said "I know you too well and I can't work with you or help you or whatever it is you want. We can barely speak more than three words without arguing!" Hermione sighed. "I'm closing up now." It was a dismissal and Draco didn't argue. He nodded his head at her and then walked away. Hermione sank into her chair and put her head in her hands. For some reason his visit today had upset her more than yesterday. Whatever it was he wanted it must be important for him to sacrifice his dignity by almost having to beg her to help. And he was different today, not so arrogant and sure of himself. It must have shocked him, her continued refusal because she could tell that he used to those amazing looks of his allowing him to manipulate any situation to his advantage.

"Is everything okay?" Ginny asked from behind her. She had her bag and cloak. "Has he gone?"

"Yes, thank god!" Hermione said. "I'll fill you in tomorrow, you get off home."

Ginny didn't argue and Hermione watched her leave a little concerned. She would speak to her tomorrow and make sure she was okay. Laura and the other member of staff, Jack said goodbye and Hermione locked the door. She went into the back office to start sorting through the boxes she had dumped earlier when she heard someone banging on the door. She sighed and went back into the shop, ready to get rid of the late customer but as she approached the door she knew it wasn't going to be that simple because the person knocking on the door impatiently was Joshua.

**So, what does Joshua want? And had Draco really given up? Let me know what you think of the story so far...I've nearly finished Chapter 4 so it will be posted soon. Just in case you're new to all this I just want to say that I love reviews and I tend to beg for them at the end of each chapter. Probably a little annoying but I really think they're important and sometimes it makes me change the story if I get some good ideas or opinions. Keep reading...x**


	4. One last request

"Is everything okay?" Hermione asked as she let him in.

"Yes...well sort of..." Joshua wouldn't look her in the eye and Hermione knew this wasn't going to be good news. "Can we sit down?"

Hermione felt her temper rising at him. She could guess what this was about and it was annoying her, his sudden insistence on getting his money back. "No, Josh - just spit it out and get it over with." Joshua stared at her, his surprise showing on his face at her unusually surly attitude. He seemed to take a deep breath before speaking.

"I need my investment back. I can't wait, I need it now."

Hermione put her hands on her hips. "Joshua, you can tell me you need the money a thousand times a day but it won't make a pile of money suddenly available to me!"

"I know it's difficult but I have been patient and we...I have a project I need the money for," Joshua corrected himself but not before Hermione noticed the 'we' word.

"I haven't got the money, Josh!"

"Can't you ask Harry or your parents?"

"No! They've already invested, they haven't got an endless supply of money either!"

"What about a loan?" Joshua shuffled uncomfortably and still didn't meet her eyes and Hermione almost felt sorry for him. She knew he wouldn't be putting all this pressure on her without a reason and she could guess what, or should she say who, the reason was!

"I've already taken a loan to do this in the first place, remember?" Hermione ran her hands through her hair.

"Well it isn't my problem how you raise the cash but I need it back." Joshua's face hardened and his mouth formed a stubborn line.

"Just hold on a moment and I'll cast the money from nothing spell..." Hermione said, her voice laced with sarcasm and she waved her hands in the air.

"There's no need to be sarcastic," Joshua said. "It doesn't suit you."

Hermione narrowed his eyes at his condescending tone. "I think you're being unreasonable and unfair. You, of all people know my financial situation."

"We all have a financial situation, Hermione." Joshua pulled his cloak around him and Hermione felt the atmosphere change. "I have to stand my ground on this, Hermione. I need the investment money back by the end of next month and if I don't get it then I'll have to insist on you selling the business."

"What?" Hermione shrieked at him. "You want me to sell the shop?"

"I don't want you to but if it's the only way to get my money back then you'll have to." He had his eyes firmly fixed to the floor. "I don't like this but I am within my rights to ask you to. I can make you sell but I really do hope it doesn't come to that." He looked up for a brief moment and Hermione saw a flash of the old Joshua, the one she had fallen for. Then the look disappeared and he headed to the door, turning just before he stepped outside. "I am sorry, Hermione and I hope you can sort something out."

Hermione stared after him for several moments not quite believing what he'd just asked her to do. If anyone should understand just how much the shop meant to her, it should be Joshua. Obviously his priorities had changed. A wave of desperation washed over her and she leant back against the shelf she was standing by.

"Mmm...sounds like I'm not the only one with a problem..." the voice in her ear made her shriek in terror and she spun round, grabbing her wand. Draco was standing just behind her, his hands up in the air. "Calm down, Granger. It's just me."

"What the? Why...you were asked to leave...!" Hermione was so shocked and angry she couldn't form a sentence. Why hadn't he gone? He must have heard the whole conversation between Joshua and herself. She cringed – that was all she needed.

"Sorry, you should have checked. I told you not to trust me." Draco appeared completely unapologetic. "So Joshua's the ex is he? Bit of a wimp if you want my opinion! He was far too nice about it all."

"Well, having a heart of stone you would think that wouldn't you?" Hermione was still waving her wand at him threateningly. "How dare you listen to my private conversations!"

"Not on purpose! What was I supposed to do? Put my fingers in my ears?" Draco grabbed the end of Hermione's wand and moved it away from his face. "Stop waving that at me."

"Grrrr!" Hermione growled, at a total loss for words. She stamped her feet a little and Draco chuckled at her, making her even more angry. A combination of anger, frustration and anxiety made tears form in her eyes and she turned away from Draco. "You now know I have more than enough to deal with without you adding to my problems, so please just go." Her voice was quiet and she knew he must be able to hear that she was trying not to cry.

"Well, that's just my point actually. I think you'll find that I can help with your problems rather than adding to them," Draco said. Hermione swung round to him again.

"Don't tell me! You want to buy the shop! At a bargain price of course and you'll even let me run it for you!" Hermione could hear her voice trembling. "Think how much fun you could have with that! You could come here every day to torment me whilst paying me the minimum amount possible!"

Draco stared at her, his smile completely gone. "You really do hate me, don't you?" His question surprised Hermione and she closed her mouth, swallowing her next accusing words. She stared at him for a moment.

"Don't pretend like it's one sided! You hate me too, I am a Mudblood after all!" Hermione's words were harsh but she had stopped yelling.

"For Merlin's sake, Granger! How old are you?" Draco put on his best playground voice. "I hate you...you hate me...I think you're a Mudblood...it's pathetic! We're supposed to be adults!"

"Adult or not, I hate you. I hate everything about you and I hate that you've walked back into my life and immediately tried to take over! How dare you!" Hermione stepped close and poked him roughly in the chest. "You're right, I do sound like a school girl but you know what? I don't care because I just want you to leave me alone. So, bugger off back to your perfect, little world with your mountains of gold, women drooling over you and everyone hanging off your every word." Hermione turned away abruptly and almost ran to the back office, not bothering to check if Draco was leaving or not. She managed to not cry but only just. She sat down heavily at her desk and tried to get control of herself. Malfoy was right, she was acting like a child! She was supposed to be a business woman and here she was, about to burst into tears and yelling abuse at him. Not that he didn't deserve it but it was unprofessional and childish and she wished she'd kept her dignity.

She wasn't sure how long she'd sat there but she decided that the supplies would have to wait until tomorrow. She wasn't in the mood to do them now. She switched the lights off and locked the office door. It was raining hard outside and the street was quiet, most of the shops shut. Hermione felt utterly miserable, ashamed of how she'd acted and worried to death about Joshua and his demands. It wasn't until she got to the front door that she saw it. A note was hovering around the by the door, obviously having been magically suspended to stay there. Hermione already knew who it was from and she seriously thought about burning it on the spot just for a moment then curiosity won over though and she grabbed it and opened it.

**Hermione,**

**Perhaps it's time I did this properly :**

**So, I would like to extend an invitation to you to meet me for dinner tomorrow evening at Bellart Brasserie 7.30pm.**

**If you're willing I would like to discuss my business proposal, which I believe will be mutually beneficial. If you decide you don't want to go along with the offer or if you don't arrive at the restaurant, I will take that as a definite no and that will be the end of the matter. You won't hear from me again.**

**Regards,**

**Draco Malfoy**

Hermione read the letter a couple of times and sighed. It was decision time.

**Well done on your guessing about what was going to happen - pretty obvious really but a great way to make Hermione have to agree to help Draco and let's face it that's what we all want! Hope you liked this...obviously next chapter will be at the restaurant (oops I've given away that she's going to go! - of course she's going to go!) A little review would be great and thanks for all the lovely reviews so far. x**


	5. At the restaurant

Hermione checked her dress one more time as she got out of the taxi and walked toward the restaurant. The restaurant looked classy and expensive even from the outside and she was glad she had dressed up. It didn't take much to work out that Draco Malfoy would have booked a posh and expensive place to eat!

The Maitre d' approached her and he led her to a table at the far end of the room. She was early but she could see that Draco was already there and he stood to greet her as she approached. She took her seat and ordered a drink and then the waiter left them alone.

Hermione tried to be polite and not show her embarrassment. "It's a lovely restaurant." Draco was watching her closely and she wanted him to stop.

"Yes and the food is amazing," Draco agreed, taking a sip from his wine glass. Hermione tried not to stare but he had this magnetism about him that drew her eyes to his. Even the way he sipped his drink was graceful and confident! He put his wine glass down and seemed to hesitate for a moment. "Thank you for coming."

Hermione bit her lip nervously. "I nearly didn't and just because I'm here it doesn't mean that I'll agree to anything."

"I know that." Draco's answer was simple and his totally smooth and polite attitude was off putting. There was a moments silence before he spoke again. "This is how I should have approached you in the first place but most of the time I act before I think."

Hermione's eyebrows rose at his admission of not being perfect. "Wow! Did you just admit to having a fault?"

Draco's mouth curved into a small smile and Hermione felt some of the tension between them disappear. "Maybe I did but I'll deny it if you tell anyone." Draco smirked now and she managed a small smile back at him. The Waiter came over and took their orders. The menu was huge and Hermione almost randomly picked her meal, not caring what she ate and not wanting to look a fool. She then excused herself to go to the bathroom, aware that Draco was watching her. She breathed a sigh of relief once she was in the ladies and checked her reflection in the mirror. This was difficult, she was out of her comfort zone and although she was here to discuss business, it had all the feeling of a date! Hermione shuddered at the thought. She gathered herself and headed back to the table, determined that she would be able to hold her ground and not be made fool of.

These thoughts remained in her head for all of thirty seconds because Draco saw her coming back and stood up to hold her seat for her. He was being polite and courteous but it felt very weird. He then scrambled her brain even further by complimenting her.

"You look...nice."

Hermione decided that she really couldn't take it if he was going to act this way for the duration of the meal and she leant across the table to speak quietly to him.

"Listen, Malfoy. I know you're trying your best not to antagonize me but this whole polite and nice thing that you're trying to pull off isn't working and it won't sway my decision. So let's discuss what you want to talk about and let's be honest with each other," Hermione said and then sat back again. Draco's eyes had narrowed and he stared at her for a minute.

"See, I thought you didn't like my other attitude? The one where I treat you normally? I thought you would respond to a bit of gentlemanly behaviour. Obviously I was wrong."

"No, I do appreciate you trying to be pleasant with me but it's making me uncomfortable. I feel like I'm being pressurized by a very good salesman. So let's just discuss what we came here for," Hermione shuffled in her seat. Draco nodded.

"If that's what you want," he said but he didn't sound happy about it. He sat back in his chair for a moment before he cleared his throat. "My company distributes Potions in bulk. I buy them ready- made and re-package them..."

"I know," Hermione interrupted him.

"Have you been checking up on me, Granger?"

"Get on with it." Hermione didn't want to answer that question so she threw the ball back in his court.

"Unknown to me one of me employees has been playing about, trying to mix his own potions and he approached me with an idea. He had got half way to creating this particular potion but he was struggling because he couldn't get half the ingredients and he knew his procedure wasn't great. So he told me his idea and asked for my help. Together we've worked on it for months and it's almost perfect now...almost..."

"What does it do?" Hermione asked the obvious question.

"If you keep interrupting me I'll never finish!" Draco pointed out but he did smile as he said it. "I can't tell you what the potion is, not until you have agreed to help me."

"Bloody hell! Is it top secret or something?"

"Yes, of course it is! This is special, Granger. It's going to make someone rich and I fully intend for that someone to be me...and you if you agree to help," Draco said this enthusiastically and Hermione could tell he had a real passion for it.

"Richer in your case, actually. What about your minion? The one who came up with the idea in the first place? Has he been pushed to the side?" Hermione knew she was being antagonistic but she couldn't seem to help it. Surprisingly, Draco laughed at this.

"He wouldn't like you calling him a minion! And when I tell you who it is you won't call him it again."

"Who?"

"Blaise. Blaise Zabini."

"He works for you? I don't remember him being particularly good at Potions!"

"He isn't bad but he's not as good as you and I – that's why he needed my help. It was his idea though and it's bloody brilliant!" Draco nodded his head.

"So why do you need me?" Hermione asked. "I hate to admit it but you're just as capable as me at Potions."

"Well, I hate to admit it but I was never quite as good and now you do it daily to make a living, I think I've fallen a good bit behind. You took the dispensing exam didn't you?" Hermione nodded, he was probably right. She had learnt a lot more since leaving school. "Anyway, I also need you for some other reasons." Hermione raised her eyebrows at him, not sure she liked the sound of this bit.

"You're not thinking I'll be your guinea pig or something, are you? To test the potion out and make sure there are no side effects?" she was joking but she wouldn't put it past him. Draco laughed again.

"No, but that's a damn good idea!"

Hermione couldn't help but chuckle at this. "I was joking and I hope you are!"

"I need your expertise and there's a vital ingredient I need that I'm having trouble obtaining. It's the ingredient that makes the potion special. You have that license don't you? The one that allows you to buy some of the more unusual ingredients?" Draco asked, his voice casual but Hermione had the underlying feeling that there was more to this than he was saying.

"You obviously know I have the license or you wouldn't be asking me for help," she said. "And I can tell you're not being entirely honest. I won't consider this if you don't tell me everything."

Draco stared at her for a moment, then sighed. "You're good..." he said, almost to himself.

"What do you mean – I'm good?"

"I mean, I'm a great liar and yet you knew I wasn't telling you everything," Draco smirked at her. "Bloody goody, goody Gryffindors!"

Hermione didn't take offence because his tone and expression told her he was joking. "So, tell me everything then." She tried not to sound accusing. "Is it legal?"

Draco pulled a face. "Yeh...sort of..."

"That's like saying that someone is sort of pregnant. You can't be sort of pregnant and the ingredient can't be sort of legal. It's either legal or it's not!" Hermione pulled a face back at him. Draco coughed and indicated for her to be quiet because the waiter arrived with their meals. For a few minutes they ate in silence, Hermione trying to digest what Draco had told her so far. It sounded dodgy but she had to admit she was interested.

**More from the restaurant next...hope you liked it...please review...pretty please...x**


	6. Blue Violet

"So, as you've brought the subject up again...are you sort of pregnant then? Does this Joshua know?" Draco's question made her drop her fork onto the plate with a clatter.

"No!"

"Because maybe if he did he'd change his mind about demanding his money back..."

"NO! I meant I'm not pregnant! I was thinking about someone else when you heard me," Hermione said.

"Oh, who?" Draco rubbed his chin. "Hold on, it's got to be Weaslette!"

"Drop it, Malfoy. And her name's Ginny."

"Oooh! Little Potter babies! Gross!"

"Malfoy!" Hermione said in her best warning voice but she had to admit that he was being amusing. She had never seen him like this before, joking and teasing and it certainly made him seem more appealing. Almost likeable, almost! She brought their conversation back to the potion. "What ingredient is it that you need me to help you get?"

"Erm..."

"Malfoy!"

"I can't tell you! Not until you agree to help."

"I can't agree to help unless you tell me." They stared at one another until Hermione shrugged. "You can't expect me to consider helping you without all the information."

"Do you promise that this is confidential?" Draco asked and Hermione nodded but Draco held his hand up and continued. "I mean it! Even if you decide not to help you can't go blabbing about it. Can you try and be a bit more Slytherin and a bit less Gryffindor? Ravenclaw, perhaps?" Hermione chuckled again because he was being very funny. Surprising! Draco Malfoy was being funny!

"Just tell me," Hermione said but he pulled a face at her. "Okay...okay...you have my promise that it will go no further."

After one more moment of hesitation, Draco leant closer and mumbled something that Hermione couldn't catch. "What? I can't hear you," Hermione asked him to repeat it. Draco leant even closer, bending across the table.

"Blue Violet Essence," he whispered and Hermione heard him loud and clear this time.

"BLUE VIO..." she exclaimed, far louder than she had intended and Draco practically jumped out of his chair to clamp his hand across her mouth.

"Why don't you just cast the Sonorous spell and say it again? I don't think they heard you over by the door!" he said, sarcastically. Hermione tried to speak but it came out muffled because of his hand. He removed it and sat down again.

"Sorry," Hermione repeated, "but seriously? You want to use that in a potion?"

"I asked you to be less Gryffindor, remember?" Draco said. "It's a very small amount but it is vital."

"And illegal," Hermione pointed out.

"It's not illegal, per say," Draco corrected her. "Its use is sometimes illegal but the ingredient itself isn't."

"Malfoy! It's a hallucinogenic plant root. You can't just go out and buy it!"

"I know that! That's why we need it though."

"Why would you want to make a potion that causes hallucinations?" Hermione asked.

"I don't want to! I told you, it's just a small amount. It won't have any affect like that in such a small quantity and I know it's legal to use ingredients like this in potions. As long as it's controlled and you register it," Draco's voice was insistent.

"My license won't allow me to buy that," Hermione shook her head. "So you may have wasted a lot of time and effort trying to get me to agree to something I can't help you with."

"We will need a license to submit the potion for approval," Draco said.

"So why didn't you just throw a bucket load of money at someone and get one yourself?"

"Because that would be unethical," Draco said in his best prim and proper voice.

Hermione snorted in a very unladylike fashion. "As if you care about that!"

"And you have to take the dispensing exam," Draco admitted. "So, does the fact that you haven't run away from the table screaming, mean you're thinking about helping me?" Draco leant closer and suddenly Hermione noticed his eyes. They were holding her gaze and she felt mesmerized. She dragged her gaze from his, refusing to be beguiled into agreeing to anything.

"There are hundreds of people who could help you with this. Many who would be far better qualified than me."

"But I can't trust them," Draco spoke quietly.

"And what makes you think you can trust me?" Hermione asked.

"Because you're you! You have all this integrity and loyalty thing going on," Draco made this sound like a bad thing somehow, "and I know if you agree to help you won't be trying to claim the potion as your own in six months time."

"You mean I'm a Gryffindor!" Hermione threw this back at him and Draco grinned at her, his eyes twinkling.

Their desserts arrived and Hermione realized she hadn't even noticed their plates being cleared away. She knew that the sensible (and very Hermione) thing to do right now would be to eat her delicious looking dessert, thank Malfoy for his offer and go on her way. The whole scenario he was painting was probably illegal and it sounded risky and time consuming. At the same time the thought of being able to be part of creating a whole, brand new potion (whatever it did!), from scratch was really exciting and it appealed to Hermione immensely. And in a very un-Hermione way she also knew that Draco was going to give her a cut of the profits and that would solve a lot of problems.

"So this Joshua, what happened? What did you see in him in the first place and why is he being such a monumental pain in the arse?" Draco asked and she stirred herself from her contemplations. She stared at him for a moment not quite believing the cheek of him to ask her all this. She was loathed to discuss her personal life with Draco Malfoy, so she gave a quick answer.

"He wants the money because he's getting married."

"Oh, did you get dumped for another woman?" Draco asked, bluntly. "You've still got your amazing skills at attracting the opposite sex then?"

Hermione glared at him. Just when he seemed to be acting reasonable he had to revert to his sarcastic and insulting self. "You just can't stop it can you? What gives you any right at all to judge me?"

"I thought you'd be all married off to Weasel by now with hundreds of little Weasel's running round you, perish the thought!" Draco said, his face showing his distaste at the idea.

"Well, I thought you'd have been dragged down the aisle by Parkinson. I didn't think she was allowed more than 3 feet away from you...Drakey!" Hermione added Pansy's affectionate nickname for Draco to the end of her sentence and she saw his eyes narrow.

"Yeh, well she's managed to attach herself to some other poor soul so I'm off the hook." Something about Draco's tone made Hermione look up at him but she couldn't put her finger on it. He couldn't be upset about Parkinson, surely? Everyone had known it had always been a one-sided relationship.

"So you're single then?" As soon as the words left Hermione's mouth she felt herself flush in embarrassment and regret. Why did she ask that? She had no interest whatsoever in whether he was single or not! She saw Draco's eyes widen a little at her question and he leant back in his chair. His reply was not at all what she expected.

"Sort of."

Hermione debated for a second if she should ask him to elaborate or change the subject but curiosity won.

"What do you mean, sort of? Is this along the same lines as being 'sort of' pregnant and the potion ingredient being 'sort of' legal?" she watched his reaction closely and she could see he was having some sort of internal conflict as to whether he should tell her anymore details.

"It's complicated," he answered, eventually.

"Which I can translate as – mind your own bloody business, Granger," Hermione said with a sigh. "Why is it I have to share every intimate detail of my life with you but I'm not allowed to know anything about you?"

"You really don't want to know," Draco said, his face was expressionless, his voice sober.

"You're right, I don't," Hermione pushed her chair away from the table. "I'm going to need time to think about everything."

Draco looked up at her surprised. "I haven't told you about how I can help you yet. This isn't going to be one sided."

"I know that but I need to make my mind up before you dangle the carrot in front of me," Hermione said. She knew Draco was probably going to offer her some sort of help with the Joshua problem but she didn't want that to be what her decision was made on. "So can we ask for the bill please?"

"But..." Draco started but Hermione shook her head.

"Come to the shop tomorrow after I've closed up. We can talk the rest through then."

Draco sighed. "Why the hell am I doing this?" he said, almost to himself. He signalled to the waiter for the bill and Hermione took out her bag but he leant across and stopped her before she opened it. "I'll be settling the bill."

"No. This isn't a date, we should pay half each," Hermione insisted.

"Granger," Draco said then he paused, seeming to debate for a minute, before correcting himself. "Hermione..." Draco stopped again, this time because of the look on Hermione's face. "Wow! That sounds weird." Draco confessed because it really did sound very strange to use her first name.

"Everything about this is weird," Hermione said. "I'll see you tomorrow...Draco."

**I know it's a slow progression as always. I hate to rush things...just enjoy the build up! Thanks for reviewing x**


	7. In a tight corner

Hermione spent all the following day in turmoil trying to reconcile her conscience with her interest and need. She had some serious misgivings about doing a deal with the devil – in this case Draco Malfoy – but the plain fact was that she needed his help – in this case his money. Nevertheless, she was worried about Draco and the implications of being in his debt. She'd seen a different side of him last night, he'd been polite, courteous and even amusing but how much of that was an act to get on the right side of her? Would he revert to type as soon as she agreed to help him? If he did, Hermione couldn't imagine them managing to do anything together.

She locked up just after 5pm and meandered around, not able to put her mind to doing anything because she still didn't have an answer for him. She sighed when she heard a knock at the door and went to open it, knowing he'd be annoyed at her dragging him over here without having made her mind up. It was raining outside, quite heavily and Draco was damp. His cloak and hair were covered in little droplets of water and he looked dishevelled. Somehow he managed to pull dishevelled off with the same sexy style as his smart and casual clothes yesterday at the meal.

"Take your cloak off, you're soaked!" Hermione instructed him. "I'll fetch you a towel."

"It's a bit early to start stripping, Granger," Draco said, doing as she'd asked. "I usually like a bit of romance first."

Hermione took his cloak of him and gave him a disgusted look. "In your dreams, Malfoy!" she said and then realized he was actually being friendly and joking with her so to soften her words she shook his wet cloak at him, sprinkling him with water. He protested then shook his wet hair over her in response, making her giggle. She fetched a towel and marvelled that they were both managing to act like adults and were now even joking with one another. She handed him the towel and he rubbed his face, neck and hair with it. She realized she was watching him and turned away.

"Thanks." Draco handed her the towel back and ran his hands through his hair. Hermione led him through the shop to the desk at the back and they sat opposite one another.

"I've been thinking about everything you told me yesterday," Hermione began, fiddling with the papers on her desk.

"I didn't tell you everything yesterday because you hurried off," Draco pointed out. "So you're basing your decision on only half the facts."

"I know," Hermione said. "I realize that this might solve some of my financial problems but I want to make my decision without that influencing it."

"Typically self-righteous and short sighted," Draco said bluntly. "Of course you're financial problems are a factor in your decision!"

Hermione leant across the table to him. "This is exactly why I'm hesitating! How do I know you're not going to make my life a total and utter misery once I agree to help you? I wonder how many times a day you'll manage to remind me that I'm indebted to you?"

"The Malfoy Mixing Pot has a nice ring to it, don't you think?" Draco asked with a grin, his eyes twinkling at her and against all her better judgement Hermione had to chuckle at his blatant teasing.

"Over my dead body, Malfoy," she said.

"I'll lend you the money to buy Joshua's share of the shop and you can repay me when we sell the Potion. It'll be a loan, interest free but just a loan. I'm not expecting to become owner of your shop, Granger," Draco said, pulling his chair up to the desk.

"Harry and Ron own half of it," Hermione felt the need to point this out to him in case it changed his decision.

"I know," Draco answered her, casually. "They don't need to know I'm involved, it'll be a personal loan between you and me."

Hermione bit her lip it sounded so good and yet so bad at the same time! "But your solicitors will have to do it officially and that will involve Harry and Ron won't it?"

"No, it's a personal loan, nothing to do with my business," Draco repeated. "I can lend my money to whoever I want. We'll have a verbal agreement."

"I could run off and never pay you back...or I could just never pay you back..." Hermione pointed out to him.

"You won't do that."

"It doesn't seem right, lending me your own money. I mean out of your own personal bank account! It's not like we're friends is it?" Hermione knew she was being negative but her logical mind needed answers to everything.

"Not yet." Draco didn't look up at her, he was studying a Newspaper on the desk but Hermione couldn't help but stare at him. Not yet! "So do we have a deal?" he looked up now and waited for her answer.

"I don't think..."Hermione started to reply but was interrupted by a loud knock at the door. Hermione could hear the rain hammering down outside and she stood up and looked around the shelves to see who it was.

"It's Joshua!" she exclaimed. "You need to disappear!" She waved her hands at Draco who didn't even attempt to move.

"Why? He doesn't know why I'm here. It could be a social visit."

"No, he'll know that's not true...he knows who you are from school..." Hermione didn't want to spell it out that Joshua knew all about Draco and how he'd persecuted Hermione and her friends at school.

"Well, it's none of his business," Draco said, stubbornly. "He's getting wet though. I'd go and answer the door if I were you."

"No, Malfoy!" Hermione grabbed his arm, exasperated. "Just hide will you? Please?"

Draco looked like he was about to argue again but Joshua banged the door really loudly and rattled the handle so Draco let Hermione pull him to his feet and he sauntered off behind the shelves. Hermione ran to the door.

"Bloody hell, Hermione! What took so long? I'm drenched!" Joshua exclaimed, removing his cloak and shaking himself as Draco had done earlier.

"Sorry, I didn't hear you."

"Didn't hear me? They heard me at Hogsmeade!" Joshua said rudely. "I went to your flat but you weren't in. What are you doing here at this time?"

"Catching up on some things, we've been busy," Hermione improvised, quickly.

"Really? That's good." Joshua gave Hermione a strange look, obviously wondering why she wasn't encouraging him into enter any further.

"What did you want Joshua?" Hermione asked, although she could guess what he wanted.

"Well...it's just that Antionette has seen a house and..." Joshua coughed and straightened his back. "I need my money, Hermione."

Hermione stared at this young man whom she thought she had once loved. How could he be so wrapped up in this Antionette that he seemed to have forgotten what they had once meant to each other. Not that she wanted him back, she had never wanted him back but she knew she wouldn't be doing this to him should their circumstances be reversed.

"Well, I'm still working on it," Hermione said. "I don't appreciate you keep hassling me."

"Well, I can't wait or we'll lose the house," Joshua said, he wasn't been aggressive but there was no doubting that he wasn't going to take no for an answer. "If you can't pay me by the end of next week, then I want us to sell the business. I've spoken to Harry and Ron."

"You've done what? How dare you?" Hermione burst out at him. "You had no right to mention this to them without us agreeing anything first!"

"There is nothing to agree. I am quite within my rights to ask for the business to be sold to release my money."

"I'm not talking about what you're entitled to on paper, Josh!" Hermione's voice had rose alarmingly. "What about treating me with some respect! Did our relationship really mean that little to you that you don't give a damn about me now?"

"Stop being over emotional. Harry and Ron were both quite stubborn, they were going to speak to you about it anyway." Joshua defended himself.

"That's not the point!" Hermione said and she felt the tears forming behind her eyes. It was then that she caught a movement in her line of vision, behind Joshua. Draco was standing, still hidden by the shelves and he was signalling to her, rolling his hand and then pointing at Joshua. Hermione knew exactly what he was trying to say – tell him you'll have the money, tell him to keep his mouth shut and he'll have his money. Hermione stood still, staring at Joshua who was staring back.

"I won't sell my shop, Joshua."

"You don't have a choice."

Hermione gulped watching Draco out of the corner of her eye. He wasn't moving anymore but she was still receiving a message. His eyes were boring into her and she felt her emotions beginning to snap. She allowed herself one last glance at Draco and it was the look on his face that finally made her mind up. There was no arrogance there now, just encouragement, understanding and...she wasn't sure if she was imagining this but he was looking at her warmly and kindly. Just for a split second she unbelievably relieved that Draco Malfoy was standing a few feet away, apparently on her side and understanding how she was feeling. It only took that split second for her to finally succumb.

"I do have a choice. You will have your money by...the end of the week..." Hermione stumbled a little, not sure if this was actually possible but she saw Draco nodding enthusiastically out the corner of her eye. "Don't come here again, I'll be in touch as soon as I have it."

Joshua's eyes narrowed. "You just told me you were still working on it, how can you suddenly promise it by the end of this week."

"It's none of your business how I do it," Hermione was blunt. "Now leave."

Joshua leant closer to her. "Please don't mess me around, Hermione. It's no good stalling. If I don't have the money then the business goes up for sale."

"Don't you dare threaten me!" Hermione said, standing her ground. She saw Draco take a step towards them and she tried desperately to tell him not to with her eyes. She grabbed Joshua's soaking cloak and pushed it against him. "Now go!"

Joshua gave her one last glance before turning towards the door and leaving, banging it behind him. Hermione stared after him for a moment, her heart racing. What had she just agreed to?

"Well done. I think we've just gone into business together, Miss Granger," Draco's voice came to her across the room. "You were very forceful. He was being a git and you stood up to him well! What sort of a guy threatens a woman? He's a pathetic creep! I was ready to grab his scrawny throat."

Had Hermione not been in turmoil she may have been more surprised than she was that Draco Malfoy was sticking up for her. Draco walked over to her and offered her his hand.

"Let's make it formal, shake on it."

Hermione stared at his hand for a long moment. "Do you promise I won't end up in Azkaban?"

"I promise."

"And you won't be a total arse?"

"Can't promise that, sorry," Draco wiggled his outstretched hand. "Deal?" Hermione nodded quickly and shook his hand before she changed her mind. Draco didn't take a breath before speaking again. "Now, it's time I explained the potion to you. It is a potion that makes women do exactly what the man who gave her the potion wants, if you get my meaning," Draco smirked at the look of total horror on Hermione's face. "As many times a day as he wants it, however he wants it and she'll be happy to accommodate if you get my meaning..." Draco had to force himself not to burst out laughing at Hermione's expression.

"Uurggh!" she said, disgusted. "Please tell me that doesn't even remotely resemble what the potion does?" she begged.

"No, unfortunately not. Anyway, I don't need a potion for any of that," Draco said, his arrogance re-surfacing accompanied by his smirk.

"Oh please!" Hermione pulled a face at him and ran her hands through her hair. "What the hell have I just done?"

**Sorry for the delay - been busy with real life! But it is a longer chapter than before. Hermione and Draco have to find a way to get their hands on the vital ingrediant next...please review. x**


	8. An unwelcome encounter

Hermione was a little surprised when she didn't hear from Draco the following day and by lunchtime the day after she was beginning to panic. What if he'd changed his mind? She even thought about trying to contact him, via his company because she had no personal information about him at all. She presumed he still owned Malfoy Manor but that was about it.

"What's up with you?" Ginny demanded after Hermione snapped at her for the tenth time.

"I've been thinking about asking you the same thing!" Hermione retaliated, her agitation and worry making her unusually abrupt.

"What do you mean? You're the one snapping everyone's head off. Poor Laura earlier looked really upset!" Ginny pulled Hermione to one side and lowered her voice. "It's not Joshua is it? Has he been here?"

Hermione bit her lip, debating what she should tell Ginny. She would have happily confided the entire story to her but a few things were stopping her. Firstly - the whole vital and illegal ingredient, secondly – Draco's loan and lastly – the fact it was Draco involved at all. Ginny may be able to accept this with some persuasion but Harry most definitely would not!

"He's asking for his money and he doesn't want to wait," Hermione said.

"Tell him to sod off, you didn't ask him to bugger off did you?" Ginny said.

"I did tell him to sod off but he's not happy," Hermione said. "So what's been up with you then?"

"Nothing," Ginny said, casually but Hermione knew her too well.

"You've been in a strange mood for ages now and you're feeling unwell..." Hermione saw the look on Ginny's face change as she realized that Hermione had noticed.

"Yeh...I suppose I'm tired..."

Hermione raised her eyebrows at her friend but Ginny wasn't any more forthcoming and she shrugged before going back to the front of the shop. Eventually it was 5pm and Hermione thankfully closed on time. She'd had enough and for some reason she was feeling very fed up. Draco had been here so often and now suddenly, after she had agreed to help him, he did a disappearing act! She locked the door and walked dejectedly down the street. She usually walked a few streets home before apparating to her house to clear her head and relax and she needed it more than usual tonight. It was colder than she realized and she pulled her cloak around her, hurrying along.

She'd walked only a few feet when someone stepped out from a dark doorway and blocked her path. He was tall but his hood covered his hair and his face was in shadow. Hermione immediately felt uncomfortable and put her hand on her wand.

"The Mixing Pot?" he asked, with no introduction.

Hermione pointed at her shop just a few feet away. "It's just there but it's closed."

"Are you Granger? Hermione Granger?" The man pronounced her first name strangely, as if he'd never heard it before.

Hermione actually withdrew her wand now, holding it by her side. "Why? Who are you?"

The man noticed Hermione's reaction and he lowered his hood. "Nothing to worry about..." he said, gruffly but it did nothing to calm Hermione who was considering making a run for it. "We just wanted a chat."

"We? A chat about what?" Hermione asked, trying to keep her voice calm. "Do you usually jump out on people you want to chat with?" She sounded braver than she felt. The man, who was younger than she had first imagined initially with light brown hair, stepped closer but Hermione raised her wand at him. "No! Stay where you are!"

"I told you...we just want to ask you a few questions..." his voice was smooth but Hermione hadn't failed to notice that his hand was now holding his wand as well.

"Leave me alone..." A noise came from around the next corner and Hermione turned to see a tall, thin Wizard walking towards them. She took the opportunity and dodged around her assailant, taking off at a run. She didn't stop even to look behind her and as soon as she rounded the corner she apparated. She'd never been so happy to see the living room of her flat but she was shaking so much she couldn't even make herself a drink. She sank onto her sofa without removing her cloak and tried her very best not to burst into tears. That was when there was a knock on the door and she jumped out of her skin, grabbing her wand. Had he followed her? What could she do? She began running through spells in her head and the door was knocked loudly again.

"Hermione? " a voice called and she stopped still, making sure she wasn't imagining Draco's voice. "Hermione?" the voice repeated and this time Hermione was sure. She raced to the door and called back.

"How do I know it's you?"

"What do you mean? You do recognize my voice?" Draco sounded puzzled.

"Yes but how do I know it's really you? Someone could be impersonating you."

"Why? What's the matter?" She heard Draco's voice change as he realized she was acting strangely.

"I just need to know it's really you," Hermione said.

"Will you just let me in, Granger or I'll..." Draco began.

"Please, Draco. Just say something so I know it's you."

The tone of Hermione's voice and her insistence at him verifying his identity, seemed to silence him for a moment before he spoke again. "You punched me with your left hand in third year," he said and Hermione stared at the door. How the hell did he remember which hand she'd used? She did a little re-enactment of hitting Draco and she was far from sure which hand she'd used. It didn't matter though because his next words convinced her it was really Draco. "For Merlin's sake, Granger will you stop dithering about and open the bloody door before I freeze to death! Things are cold that really shouldn't be!"

She turned the handle and pulled the door open to find him pointing his wand at the lock. She grabbed him, pulling him inside before glancing around the door into the corridor as if she was in some bad Muggle spy film. She then slammed the door shut and breathed a sigh of relief. Draco was staring at her as if she'd gone mad.

"What are you doing, Granger? Who the hell are you looking for?" he asked.

"I came out of the shop...and there he was...he knew who I was..." Hermione babbled, the night's events catching up with her and she sniffed, trying not to cry, not in front of him. But there was no denying that she was totally relieved and grateful that he was here, standing in her flat because now she felt safe. Draco grabbed her arms and bent down to look at her.

"I can't understand you, what's the matter?"

Hermione took a steadying breath and told him what had happened as clearly as she could. His face changed as her story proceeded and he looked worried then angry then both.

"Merlin, Hermione!" he exclaimed. "Who the hell was he?" Draco paced the small hall, holding his head in one hand. "This is my fault! It's got to be to do with the potion. I never for one second thought anyone would try to contact you!" he leant his hand on the wall. "Bloody stupid! I should have been more careful!"

"You think he wanted the potion?"

"The recipe for it."

"But I didn't think anyone else knew about it!"

"No, neither did I! But it has to be that, it's too much of a coincidence." Draco then leant close to her, his eyes searching her face. "Are you sure you're okay? I'm so sorry."

Hermione stared at him open mouthed. Had he just apologized? She nodded her head. "I'm okay, just a bit shaky."

"Let's sit down, I'll make you a drink."

Draco busied himself in her kitchen, not asking where anything was and Hermione could hear him opening and shutting cupboards. She couldn't remember how tidy it was but she almost didn't care. Draco Malfoy was in her kitchen, making her a drink! Showing concern for her? Wonders would never cease.

"There you go." Draco placed a mug on the table in front of her. "Maybe you should lie down. Did he touch you?"

"No. I didn't give him a chance, I ran as soon as I could."Draco sighed heavily and Hermione could tell he was feeling supremely guilty. "It's not your fault."

"Yes it is! I placed you in danger," Draco said, forcefully. "It won't happen again."

Hermione stared at him, completely shocked by his reaction. She tried to keep things in perspective and took a sip of her drink. The taste surprised her because she recognized a warm glow as it hit her throat. Alcohol!

"Did you put alcohol in my drink?" she asked.

"Yes, it'll calm your nerves," Draco answered.

"What did you come here for?" Hermione paused as another thought came to her. "How did you know where I lived?"

"I made it my business to find out," Draco answered. "And why I came here can wait until tomorrow. I should let you go to bed."

Hermione put her drink down abruptly and bit her lip, a wave of panic washing over her again. It was illogical because once the door was locked she would be perfectly safe. She could even use some spells but right now she really did not want to be left on her own. At the same time she could hardly ask Draco to stay could she? And she couldn't ask anyone else because they'd want to know what had happened. Draco was getting his cloak but he stopped when he saw the look on her face.

"What is it? You've gone pale. You're not going to faint on me are you Granger? I'm a terrible nurse!" he stared at her and Hermione gulped trying to get control of herself.

"I'm fine," she lied, unconvincingly. Draco put his cloak down and came over, bending in front of her.

"You look ill, are you sure he didn't hurt you?"

Hermione felt the tears forming and she gazed down at her lap. He was close to her now and she had the ridiculous but uncontrollable urge to throw her arms around him and beg him to stay. He looked more than capable of protecting himself and her as well and she wanted him to stay. He was still bent in front of her, staring at her and she raised her eyes to him. Her emotional state made her care a lot more about being alone than it did about what he might think of her and she blurted the words out.

"Will you stay?"

Draco's face showed very little reaction and she admired his restraint. He was probably thinking she'd gone completely mad! He then leant forward, really close to her and for a moment Hermione actually thought he was going to kiss her before he pressed the sofa with his hand, applying his weight to it and bouncing it up and down a little.

"Your sofa feels bloody uncomfortable to me," he said with a grin and Hermione felt a rush of relief.

"Yeh, I think it is, sorry!"

"I'm not used to roughing it. I usually have feather down quilt and pillows," Draco continued, still smirking. "How about your bed? Is it a double?" He made to stand as if he was going to check and finally Hermione laughed, his good natured teasing having broke down her anxiety.

"Yes it is and no you can't !" she said, answering his unspoken question. He replied with a wink and a grin and suddenly Hermione felt better. Very, very much better.

**There you go...Draco's staying the night, lucky Hermione! Hope this is keeping your interest and that you are liking their characters...let me know, I like to hear what you think and if I need to change anything. x**


	9. Sleepover

Hermione surprisingly slept well and when she woke she could hear someone moving around in the kitchen. It took her a few seconds to remember who that someone was and then she cringed. What the hell had she done that for? Why had she asked him to stay? In the cold light of day it seemed pathetic!

She slid out of bed, checked her hair and slipped her robe on. When she entered the kitchen, Draco turned round and looked her up and down.

"Mmm...very attractive, Granger," he said.

"Get stuffed," Hermione answered, rudely.

"Toast?" Draco asked, spreading two pieces as he asked her.

"Err...yes please," Hermione said, uncertainly. "Listen, Malfoy I really need to thank you for staying, I was being pathetic."

"You were accosted by a stranger in an alleyway, it was hardly being pathetic," Draco said, generously. He slid a small plate with two pieces of perfectly toasted, perfectly buttered toast on it. "Not very Gryffindor of you though," he added and even though Hermione couldn't see his face she knew he'd be smirking.

"I should have just got my wand out and hexed him!" Hermione said, ignoring the Gryffindor comment. "Did you sleep okay?"

"Surprisingly I did," Draco took the stool opposite her and started to eat his own toast. "Did you spend all night lying awake trying to resist?"

"Resist what?" As soon as the words left her mouth, Hermione wished she hadn't asked.

"Resist the temptation to join me on the sofa!" Draco answered as if she was being stupid even asking. "Do you have any idea how many women I've turned down who have asked me to spend the night with them?"

"I didn't ask you to spend the night!" Hermione didn't like his phrasing. "And you've probably not turned down any! I can't imagine Draco Malfoy turning down an offer to sleep with any woman."

"Actually, Granger I'm very selective. Just because I receive hundreds of offers doesn't mean I jump into bed with anyone!"

"No, I'm sure you have certain criteria that have to be met. I would imagine she has to be slim, blonde, have long legs and a rich daddy?"

Draco smirked widely at her. "Which one of those criteria do you meet then, Granger?" he looked her up and down again blatantly and Hermione wished she'd got dressed.

"Not one! You must have felt really guilty!"

"I did." Draco's answer was short and he had lowered his gaze to his plate but the way he said it made Hermione stop eating and stare at him.

"So won't someone be wondering where you are?" she asked.

"I'm a big boy now, Granger."

"Won't your girlfriend be wondering why you spent the night at some other girls flat?" Hermione asked this deliberately, determined to find out something personal about him.

"How do you know I have a girlfriend?" Draco asked and she could tell his defences were up.

"You said you weren't single."

"No I didn't – you're twisting my words and you're being nosey. You're not exactly being subtle are you?" Draco looked at her, his eyebrows raised. "I manage to extract all sorts of information out of you and you don't even know I'm doing it."

Hermione was sure he was right and she didn't like the idea very much. "Well, you won' tell me anything! You're treating me like a child! You haven't even told me about the potion yet!"

"Yeh, well that's a good thing. At least now I can keep you out of it."

"Out of it? What do you mean."

"Well, thankfully I haven't told you any details on how to make the potion or what it does, so you can just go back to your safe, little life."

"But you'll have to tell me about the potion or I can't help you."

"You're not going to be helping me. The deals off." Draco stood up and collected their plates and Hermione stared at him in disbelief for a moment.

"What? It can't be off! Why would you be calling it off?" Hermione's voice was strained.

"It's too dangerous. Obviously someone else has found out about what we are doing and wants the potion themselves. It's complicated enough without having to worry about you as well," Draco sat back down on the stool.

"But you said you couldn't do it without me! In fact you were highly persistent about it!"

"I know I was but we'll just have to find a way, it's not worth the risk."

"That isn't your decision to make. I'm quite capable of deciding what risks I want to take." Hermione stood up and walked round to him, pulling her robe around her. This really wasn't good attire to be wearing whilst trying to put forward a forceful argument! "You and I both know that I've already been in far more dangerous situations than this."

"Yes, by accident. I've put you in this situation so it's up to me to remove you from it as well."

"Malfoy, stop being so controlling. We had a deal and the deal stands," Hermione pointed her finger at him.

Draco stared at her then grabbed her hand and lowered it. "Stop pointing at me. What I should have said is your part of the deal is off. My part of the deal stands. I'll give you the money to pay lover boy off."

"What? No! I don't care about that, it didn't mean that," Hermione insisted. "I want to make the potion! You've got me sucked in now, I want to see what it does."

"You do care about the money, Hermione," Draco said quietly. "I know you want to keep your little shop."

"Of course I do!" Hermione took a breath, trying to not shriek at him. "Malfoy, if someone had told you about this potion and you'd got hooked on it would you be happy if it was suddenly pulled from under you?"

Draco stared at her and then he smiled. "No, I'd hate it!" Hermione raised her eyebrows at him in a – that's my point exactly – sort of way.

"And if you don't let me help with the potion how will I ever be able to pay you your money back?" Hermione asked, folding her arms in front of her.

"I said I'd GIVE you the money not LOAN it you," Draco said this quietly, his grey eyes locked to her face and Hermione's eyes opened wide.

"Give it me? Don't be ridiculous! Why would you give it to me?" she whispered this, their eyes locked.

"Not much point in calling it a loan if I'm not ever likely to get it back is there?" Draco looked away now. "So just take my offer, Hermione. I don't think you're likely to get a better one anytime soon."

"But it's a huge amount of money! It's a small fortune," Hermione stepped backwards. "I could never accept it from you, not if I wasn't helping you in return." She straightened her shoulders. "Anyway this conversation is irrelevant because I am helping you and it will be a loan and I will pay you back! And it's not your decision so don't bother arguing because I'm helping with the potion and I won't take no for an answer!"

Draco's face broke into a huge smile and Hermione felt her stomach do a little flip. Merlin, he was sexy when he smiled like that! She then felt horror wash over her – had she just thought that Draco Malfoy was sexy? Things were getting weirder by the minute.

"I suppose that's decided then," Draco said, his eyes dancing and Hermione felt herself blush and she had no idea why.

"So the deals still on then?" she asked.

"Sounds like you won't take no for an answer," Draco replied.

"Right! Good." Hermione nodded her head and then went quiet.

Draco stood up and for the first time Hermione noticed that his clothes, the ones he'd had on last night – they were still impeccable! How did he manage that? He'd slept on the sofa.

"I'll get you the money today," Draco was saying, throwing his jacket on. He then noticed Hermione was staring at him and he looked down at himself. "What's wrong? Do I look a mess?"

"Errr...no..." Hermione stuttered and dragged her eyes away from him. What the hell was up with her?

"I was going to go straight to the office...do I need to change?" Draco was still asking.

"Err...no...you look fine," Hermione started clearing up the breakfast items, determined to not look at him again.

"Hermione?" Draco's voice was close behind her and she noticed that he'd been using her first name a lot.

"What happened to Granger?" she asked, turning around.

"I'm not sure but I don't really think I should be calling my business partner by her surname," Draco shrugged. "So what was all the stuttering about?"

Hermione put down a sauce bottle heavily and sighed. "You looked impeccable, no stains or creases or anything. I just wondered how you managed that when you'd slept on my sofa all night?"

Draco's face broke into his breathtaking smile again. "Ha! Are you trying to tell me that I woke up looking hot?"

"Oh please!"

Draco nudged her shoulder. "Don't be shy, Granger. You're allowed to be lusting after me, it's perfectly understandable."

"I think it's time you left..." Hermione said, turning away from him again and she heard him chuckle.

"Okay, try not to miss me too much," he said. She turned and saw him pause by the door. "Oh and my clothes aren't creased because I always sleep naked, even on someone else's couch."

Hermione swung round to face him but he was gone.

**Now everyone try your very best to not focus on Draco being naked on the couch...take a deep breath...and give me a review x**


	10. Bumps in the road

Try as she might Hermione was unable to get the image of Draco naked on her couch out of her head. She couldn't decide it was because it was such a great image or such a shocking one. It was lunch time and the shop was quiet so Hermione went to the back office to check on the takings. Ginny came bursting in just a few minutes later.

"Hermione! He's here again! Malfoy!" she said. "Shall I tell him to get lost?"

"No!" Hermione answered and Ginny looked shocked at her abrupt answer. "Sorry, Ginny! He's here to see me about something."

"What about? What's going on, Hermione?" Ginny asked.

"I will tell you but right now I need to see Dra...Malfoy," Hermione corrected herself but Ginny's eyes narrowed.

"What can Draco Malfoy possibly be here to see you for?" Ginny persisted.

Hermione bit her lip, toying with the idea of telling Ginny. She wished Draco had used his brains and come after the shop had shut. Sometimes she was sure he did things just to make it awkward for her. Hermione guessed that he would secretly love it if Harry found out because he would love to annoy him and this arrangement with Hermione would most definitely do that!

"Come in ten minutes early tomorrow and I'll tell you. But it's confidential, Ginny so no blabbing it around to everyone!"

Ginny nodded. "Okay." She went to leave the office but then stopped and turned back to Hermione. "You're not in any trouble are you, Hermione?"

Hermione shook her head but her words weren't very reassuring. "Not yet." She stood up and went out to the shop. Draco was standing at the counter chatting to Laura who was giggling. Hermione approached them.

"Did you want to come through to the office?" she said and Draco turned to look at her, then he nodded. They took a seat and Hermione shuffled nervously.

"Ginny wants to know what's going on. I thought you might have come here later when the staff have left," Hermione said, trying not to sound accusing. He was here to give her a bucket load of money, after all!

"Tell her to mind her own business," Draco said, bluntly.

"Is that how you treat your staff? And more importantly is it how you treat your friends?" Hermione asked.

"Yes and I don't have any."

"I thought Blaise was both?"

"Maybe," Draco sounded sulky.

"What is it with the tough act? You aren't really as cold hearted as you make out," Hermione leant towards him. "I should know!"

"You have a strange effect on me," Draco answered and his eyes were suddenly looking deeply into hers making her catch her breath. She was surprised at how being close to him was making her feel and she wasn't sure she liked it. And his little comment, along with his recent change of attitude towards her made her wonder where this was going. This was supposed to be a business deal so why did they seem to be getting closer? Less businesslike?

"You have a strange effect on me!" Hermione said but not in the same tone Draco had used. Her tone implied that the effect he had on her was anything but good. Draco, far from being insulted, seemed pleased with her response and he grinned at her. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper.

"Here's the bank draft." He handed it over casually and Hermione had to marvel at his attitude to such a large amount of money. She took it off him and stared at it – payee : Hermione Granger signed : Draco Malfoy – not Malfoy Enterprises. He really had withdrawn this from his private money! Just how much money did he have that he could give this much away out of his own account and not miss it? His voice made her look up at him. "Is it okay? That is the right amount isn't it?"

"Yes," Hermione's voice sounded breathy because she was finding it all a bit overwhelming. So she was going to help with the potion but that really did not equate to being leant this money.

"Are you sure? What's the matter?"

Hermione sniffed. "It's just such a lot of money and it's your own, not the business." She realized she was sounding pathetic and she gave him a grin. "I am very grateful...and just how much money do you actually have to be able to give this much away?" She watched for his reaction because certain subjects seemed to make this new and improved Malfoy revert to his old self.

"Did you want to know my account balance?" Draco asked and she pleased to see him smirk at her. "Stop being so grateful because I intend to get my money's worth out of you." He winked and then laughed at the disgusted look on Hermione's face. Ginny chose that exact minute to walk into the office. She took in Draco laughing and Hermione holding the bank draft and her face paled.

"What's going on, Hermione?"

"Nothing. What did you want?" Hermione asked. "I'm a bit busy."

"I can see that!" Ginny's eyes flashed and Hermione felt her stomach drop. This was going to end badly. "Are you giving him money?" Before Hermione could do anything Ginny reached over and grabbed the draft. Ginny's eyes widened as she read it. "How much? How can you afford to give him that much money, Hermione?"

"Ginny, this is none of your business!" Hermione stood up but Ginny had her wand out, pointing it at Draco.

"Why is Hermione giving you all that money?" she demanded of a bewildered Draco. She ripped the draft in half and Hermione gasped.

"Weaslette!" Draco stood and with one swift movement, grabbed Ginny's wand from her but Ginny didn't seem to care.

"Leave Hermione alone you creep! Leave the shop now and don't come back. She will never give you money again!" Ginny finished with a grand flourish and if she hadn't been so horrified, Hermione would have applauded her speech. Draco stared at Ginny for a moment before stepping over to her and grabbing her shoulders. Ginny tried to shake him off but he was too strong and he manoeuvred her around and pushed her down in the chair he had just vacated.

"Do you want me to tell her?" he looked over at Hermione who nodded. They would have to tell her now!

He snatched the two halves of the draft from Ginny's hands and held them back together in front of her face. She turned her face away. "I don't want to see it! I've seen enough, thanks!"

"Look at it properly," Draco instructed. "Read it, properly. Who's giving who money?"

Ginny did as he asked and she gasped before turning to Hermione. "He's giving you money? Why? Don't tell me he's buying the shop!"

"Well I was going to explain tomorrow but you haven't given me the chance, have you?"

"I'm not working for him!" Ginny exclaimed and Hermione could have cheerfully slapped her.

"Ginny! You're acting like a child!"

"And Draco bloody Malfoy is giving you money? Have you forgotten who he is, Hermione! What's he giving you money for? And what about Harry?"

Hermione walked over to her friend. "Joshua wants his money back and he won't wait. He wants me to sell the shop." She saw Ginny's face drop. "Draco needs my help with a potion and getting some special ingredients. We have made an arrangement that suits us both where I help him and he lends me the money to buy Joshua out. I then pay Draco back a little bit at a time." Hermione lied a little, not wanting to have to tell Ginny any details about the potion. "This way, I get to keep the shop."

Ginny stood up and put her hands on her hips. "How very convenient."

"What does that mean? Do you want me lose the shop?"

"I don't suppose Harry's going to be very happy about being in partnership with HIM!"

"He's not in partnership with him! Draco is lending ME the money, he doesn't own the shop!"

"If Potter has a problem I'll buy his share as well," Draco said and Hermione glared at him.

"Yeh, well that's your answer to everything isn't it? Throw you're ill gotten money at a problem and it will go away," Ginny turned to Hermione. "I thought better of you, Hermione! Well, I won't work somewhere that HE has anything to do with. I resign!"

"Ginny!" Hermione exclaimed. "Why are you being so unreasonable?"

Ginny turned, her hand holding the door open. "I'm not the one doing a deal with the devil, AM I?" She walked out, slamming the door and Hermione felt a little chill because Ginny had used the exact words that Hermione had thought of herself the other day.

**Oh dear! Things can't run too smoothly can they? That'd be boring! Go on give a little review. x**


	11. Goodbye and sorry

**What this story needs is a nice bit of Dramione so I'm uploading two chapters so that we can enjoy a bit of interaction - read and enjoy...**

It was closing time the following day and Hermione locked the door with a heavy heart. She'd half expected Ginny to turn up today and carry on as if nothing had happened. Either that or arrive with Harry and Ron in toe and to kick off again. But instead it had been a no show and it left Hermione feeling desperate. She'd been friends with Ginny since her first year at Hogwarts and Hermione was disappointed and surprised at her outburst. She'd always had a quick temper but she was also a kind and thoughtful person who seemed to regain control as quickly as she lost her temper in the first place. It was pure speculation on Hermione's part but maybe hormones were playing a part?

To make matters worse (or maybe better?) Draco hadn't shown his face either and this puzzled Hermione as well. He'd left abruptly after Ginny's outburst, partly due to Hermione's insistence that he go because she didn't want him to see how much it had all upset her. The bank draft was useless now and she knew he would need to get a new one and she'd expected him to turn up some time today.

Hermione sat down heavily in the chair in the office, feeling exhausted. The sad thing about this was that despite Ginny's lack of support and understanding Hermione still wanted to proceed with her deal with Draco. Obviously, she needed the money (that problem hadn't disappeared) but she also wanted to work on the potion. And what about Draco? Hermione twisted her lips, trying to be totally honest with herself but it was difficult. Despite everything she had started to enjoy his company – maybe enjoy wasn't the right word – because he was still and arrogant git who irritated the hell out of her but she'd started to see a little side of him that was different and it intrigued her.

She glanced at her watch and made herself get up to go home. Since the other night she'd stopped her little walk before apparating and she was home just 30 seconds after deciding that was where she was going. There were some great things about being a witch. Hermione prepared herself a quick dinner, all the time debating whether she should go to Ginny and Harry's flat tonight and try and smooth things over or stay at home and let Ginny calm down a bit longer.

She had almost finished eating when there was a knock at the door and Hermione felt her heart jump. Had Ginny come to her? Or had she sent Harry? Or far worse, Ron! It wasn't until Hermione's hand was on the door handle that she realized it could be Draco and when she opened it there he was.

"Why are you opening the door?" he asked, without bothering with a hello.

"Because you knocked on it," Hermione answered, giving him a strange look.

"But how did you know who it was?"

"I didn't!" Hermione shook her head. "See, the best way to find out who's at the door is to open it!" she said this sarcastically and looked at him challengingly.

"Very clever! Not so clever if I'd been your attacker, here to make a return visit," Draco met her gaze equally challengingly. "Have you heard from Weaslette?"

"No, it would seem she really is upset this time," Hermione stepped to the side and waved Draco in. It wasn't until he walked past her that she noticed her had a dinner suit on. "Oh, where are you going?"

Draco looked down at his suit. "Oh...nowhere exciting."

Hermione, who's patience was a little strained sighed loudly. "Sorry, I forgot I wasn't allowed even a snippet of personal information! Heaven forbid I should know anything that isn't to do with business!"

"Stop getting yourself worked up! My personal life is really not worth getting so excited about." Draco's answer was dismissive and Hermione sighed again.

"Fine!" she said, her tone clearly indicating that it wasn't fine at all.

"Bloody hell! If you must know, I'm going to a business dinner!" Draco sounded frustrated. He withdrew a new bankers draft and waved it at her. "Shall we see if we can keep this in one piece?"

"Oh..right...thank you..."

"I told you to stop being so grateful. You're going to earn every sickle!" Draco flashed her his grin and turned to leave.

"Are you going on your own to this dinner, then?" Hermione asked and then put her hand over her mouth in horror. What the hell did she ask that for! Draco had stopped in his tracks and turned back to her. "Just pretend I didn't ask that," Hermione mumbled, blushing furiously. "I'm just nosey...can't help it..."

"Actually, my date is waiting in the car, probably impatiently!" Draco said, casually. He then went towards the door again and Hermione had to really bite her lip to prevent asking who 'she' was! "Pay creep face off as soon as you can, I'll pop round tomorrow."

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

The next morning, Hermione walked to the shop, wanting time to think. She wasn't looking forward to her meeting with Joshua, despite the fact it would be to pay him off. Knowing Joshua and his current frame of mind, she didn't imagine it would be straightforward. As she rounded the corner, she could see a figure standing in the door way of The Mixing Pot and she hurried along wondering if it might be Joshua or Draco. It wasn't either of them...it was Ginny. Hermione approached her friend cautiously, this could go either way.

"Hi Ginny," she said.

"Hermione," Ginny's voice was quiet and Hermione heaved a sigh of relief. This didn't sound like she'd come to have an argument. Hermione was proved right, when the next moment Ginny grabbed her into a hug. "Hermione, I'm so..so sorry!"

"Come in, we still have ten minutes before I open," Hermione extracted herself from Ginny's embrace and unlocked the door. The girls walked to the back office and Hermione made them a drink.

"Thank you. I am so sorry, Hermione," Ginny said again and Hermione could see genuine distress in her eyes. "I acted like a total idiot!"

"Yep!" Hermione agreed and grinned. After a split second Ginny grinned back at her. "Why the change of heart?" Hermione asked.

"Because I got home and wondered what the hell I had done!" Ginny said. "I just saw red and there's no excuse. I didn't even give you a chance to explain."

"There is a good reason why I'm doing this, Ginny and I was going to tell you," Hermione said. "You must know that I wouldn't jump into a deal with Draco without some serious deliberation!"

Ginny pulled a face. "See, there you go with the whole Draco thing! When did he go from Malfoy to Draco?"

"Mmm...that is weird and I don't know," Hermione confessed. "Joshua wants his money and he wasn't willing to wait, so I'm in a total panic when Draco...Malfoy arrives and asks for my help with this potion he and a friend have concocted. He offers me a deal if I help him then he'll lend me the money to pay Joshua. He doesn't want the shop, Ginny, it's just a loan."

"And how will you be able to pay him back?"

"When we register the potion, there will be an income from it and I can sell it here as well," Hermione skipped over the details on purpose. "I do know it's not an ideal situation, Ginny but honestly Draco has been fair and...well he's been reasonable and nice!" Hermione shook her head in disbelief. "That even sounds ridiculous to my ears!"

"Well, I'll have to be convinced on that one but I had no right to go off at you. I trust your judgement and it is your shop," Ginny pulled a face. "I can't believe what an arse Joshua is being!"

"He's being influenced I think but that's no excuse."

"Bloody men!" Ginny said. "So you do trust Malfoy then? I mean how do you know he won't do exactly what Joshua is doing? Demanding his money back unreasonably?"

"I don't know that. But I do trust him and he needs me for this potion so it's not all one sided," Hermione shrugged. "Anyway, if I don't make enough to pay him from the potion and he demands his money back in a year's time, I'll deal with that then. It will be the same situation as I'm in now but I will have had a year's grace."

Ginny nodded. "Okay. So is this potion going to make you a lot of money? What does it do?"

Hermione felt a little apprehension because right at this moment she had no idea what the potion did! "Well, Draco hasn't told me yet...he's coming round later..."

"You don't know what it does?" Ginny asked.

"No but it's not as bad as it sounds. We've been dealing with Joshua first, once I've paid him off we can concentrate on the potion."

"And did Malfoy think up this marvellous invention himself?"

"With a friend."

"Mmm. Let's hope it's bloody brilliant and you might be a rich woman!" Ginny said but she didn't sound convinced.

"What did Harry say?" Hermione asked, nervously.

"I didn't tell Harry," Ginny said, quietly. "And I won't tell him if you don't want me to. You're my friend, Hermione. He's just my boyfriend!" Both girls burst out laughing at this and Hermione gave Ginny a hug.

"Thank you," she said. "I've got enough to cope with right now without an angry and upset Harry!" Hermione looked closely at Ginny. "So what's with your evil temper? More evil than usual..." Hermione's smile took the sting out of her words.

Ginny shrugged. "I don't know, I'm just a bit out of sorts."

"I've just shared my deepest, darkest secret with you..." Hermione said.

"What are you getting at, Hermione?" Ginny asked.

"Well, I was just wondering if you had any deep, dark secrets you'd like to get off your chest?" Hermione prompted. Ginny's eyes narrowed and Hermione could see her debating with herself. She decided to make it easier. "Does Harry know he's going to be a Daddy?" Now Ginny sat back in the chair, her eyes wide.

"How did you know?"

"Oh I just put two and two together..."

"I'm totally scared to death!" Ginny said. "I have no idea what to do with a baby!"

"You'll be fine! How about Harry, how did he take the news?" Hermione asked.

"He doesn't know...I haven't told him."

"Ginny!"

"I know, I know!"

"You have to tell him!"

"I know! I will!"

"So did you want to withdraw your resignation?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, if you'll let me."

"Go open up then...and another cup of tea would be great," Hermione smiled. "Oh and congratulations!"

Ginny pulled a face but went to open up without another word.

**Aaah - at least Ginny has come to her senses. Next chapter loaded now...keep reading Dramione next...oh and don't forget to review this chapter x**


	12. Three's a crowd

At closing time time Laura brought Hermione a letter that had been hand delivered. Hermione opened it immediately.

**Granger,**

**As soon as you've got rid of lover boy, come over to my offices.**

**It's the best place to explain the potion and show you what we've done so far.**

**Dinner's on me so don't eat beforehand.**

**Malfoy.**

**PS Don't walk down any dark alleyways! In fact don't walk just apparate straight here.**

The last comment made Hermione chuckle a little. She felt excited to be visiting his business premises. She hadn't been lying beforehand when she said she was nosey. She looked down at what she was wearing and wondered if she had time to change then she felt annoyed at herself. Why was she worrying what she looked like?

It suddenly struck her that she was about to find out what this mysterious potion did! That was when the door knocked and she went to let Joshua in. She had her own bank draft in her pocket now, so that Joshua wouldn't know that Draco had anything to do with it. After a quick hello, Hermione wasted no time in handing the draft to him. He also had some papers to sign which gave his share of the shop back to Hermione. Joshua did all this in silence before he took the draft and started scrutinizing it.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked, impatiently.

"I'm just puzzled where you have suddenly got all this money from so quickly," Joshua said. "I hope you haven't done anything silly, Hermione?"

That was a matter of opinion, Hermione thought to herself. "I haven't done anything silly not that it's any of your business."

"It is my business! I don't want you in any trouble," Joshua said.

"What I do is absolutely nothing to do with you, Joshua. You're free of me forever, I release you of having to even think about me!" Hermione snapped at him. "But I have to point out that if I had done something silly, it would be because of you pressurizing me!"

"That's not fair!"

"Just leave Josh." Hermione held the door open and Joshua stared at her for a moment.

"I'm sorry it's had to come to this...if ever you need me..."

"You've got to be joking!" Hermione couldn't keep the disbelief from her voice. Joshua looked at her sadly for a moment before turning and leaving. Hermione locked the door behind him and then leant against it. For a moment she felt unbelievably sad but then it struck her that she was free! She was no longer tied to Joshua in any way! Instead she was tied to Draco Malfoy! Was that actually better?

Ten minutes later she was staring at the imposing building that contained Draco's offices. It was very old and ornate and you couldn't fail to be impressed by it. She told the receptionist that she was here to see Mr Malfoy and he called a young witch over who nodded politely at Hermione before leading her up numerous flights of stairs and along a wide corridor to a large door. She knocked and Hermione heard Draco call them in.

"I have Miss Granger here for you," the young woman said and then she stepped back to let Hermione through. Draco was sitting behind a large desk that was in the corner of the room. Hermione glanced round at her surroundings and she had to admire the tastefulness of the decor and the obvious quality of the furniture. Draco stood up and walked towards some sofa's that were placed at the opposite corner to his desk. He indicated for Hermione to follow him and they both took a seat.

"How did it go?" Draco asked. "Was he reasonable?"

"Yes." Hermione didn't feel like divulging the entire conversation. It was over and she wanted to forget about it.

"Good." Draco poured two drinks from a pot on the table. Hermione took a sip but it was far too strong and she hastily added some more milk.

"Wow! That's strong!" she said. "Are you trying to cure a hangover?"

Draco narrowed his eyes at her. "It was a business dinner, I wasn't drunk."

"I can't imagine you drunk!" Hermione said and Draco stared at her again.

"Am I in your imagination a lot then, Granger?" Draco asked with a smirk and Hermione sighed loudly.

"You're in my nightmares!"

"Liar."

"How can you be so arrogant? Looks aren't everything, Malfoy!"

Draco grinned at her. "That's what ugly people say."

Hermione glared at him. "I just said it!" she exclaimed but Draco just chuckled. "Are you going to explain the potion to me or not?"

Draco seemed to look surprised for a minute as if he'd forgotten that's what she was here for. "Yes but let's eat first."

"Oh, don't worry about that, I can eat later," Hermione said. She didn't want Draco thinking she needed a babysitter.

"Are you turning down my offer of a hot date?" Draco asked with a grin.

"This isn't a hot date is it? It's a business arrangement," Hermione said, primly. Draco stood up and started to remove his jacket. "What are you doing?" Hermione asked.

"I'm becoming less business like and more hot date like..." Draco threw his jacket on the sofa and started undoing his tie and Hermione stared at him in astonishment. "Do you want to undo my shirt buttons or shall I?" Hermione spluttered and then she saw the glint in his eyes. He was just goading her, thank goodness! Draco's face broke into a wide grin. "I should have carried that on a bit longer, you should have seen your face! I could have asked you to help with unzipping my trousers!" Hermione couldn't help it and she burst out laughing. She couldn't be annoyed at him because he was being so amusing and it really surprised her that he could be like this. What happened to the sneering arrogance? She knew it was still there but this was refreshing. Afterwards, she wasn't quite sure what came over her but part of her just wanted to show Draco that she wasn't the same, shy girl she had been at school and that she could match his teasing. So she only hesitated for one moment before standing and walking over to him. She stood really close and she saw his expression change.

"How do you know I wasn't waiting for you to offer? How do you know I haven't been fantasizing about doing this?" Hermione said, not daring to look in his eyes because she probably wouldn't be able to pull this off if she did. She reached out and gently touched Draco's pristine white shirt and then slowly undid the top button. She saw Draco smirk – he knew she was just messing with him but she carried on anyway. She undid the next button and then a third. And then suddenly she felt something other than amusement. Draco was tall, her eyes were level with his collar bone and quite unintentionally she had now revealed some smooth, toned flesh for her to stare at. Hermione knew Draco was attractive, she wasn't blind but her mind had really not been in that place and thus far their entire interaction had been about her shop, Joshua and the potion. She suddenly had a whole new appreciation for him because, this close, he simply oozed sexiness. He smelt gorgeous as well and Hermione unconsciously leant closer. His clothes looked like it was the first time he had ever worn them, every crease perfect and exactly where it should be and this close, Hermione could see the toned muscles under his shirt. She suddenly had an overwhelming urge to run her hands over them but before she could put this thought into action she found her palms against his chest because he had stepped closer and slipped his arm around her waist pulling her against him. And that was when the adrenalin really kicked in because she could now feel those muscles she'd just been ogling pressed right up against her. She felt Draco lean her back just slightly as his other arm came around her as well and her breath caught in her throat as a wave of feeling washed over her, making her tingle.

There was a loud bang behind them as the large door swung open and Draco's eyes flashed angrily at the intruder.

"Draco...you'll never guess what I just saw at that little shop..." The woman's voice stopped abruptly and Hermione jumped away from Draco as if she'd been stung. Too late though. "What the hell? Who is this and why are you..."

"Astoria..." Draco stepped towards her, his voice soothing. Hermione stared at the intruder, her name having caught her attention. Was this Astoria Greengrass? From school? She was dressed in a suit and was carrying a little clutch bag. She looked overdressed and her hair and make-up were just a little too perfect.

"What is going on here?" Astoria's voice was harsh and loud so Draco stepped over to the door, closing it quietly.

"Nothing, calm down," Draco appeared completely calm and Hermione wished desperately that she did because her heart was racing at a hundred miles an hour. She stared at the two of them unable to speak.

"You were...she was..." Astoria stuttered, glaring at Hermione. Suddenly her face changed and she stepped towards Hermione who unconsciously stepped backwards. "Hermione Granger?"

"The one and only!" Draco said, stepping around Astoria and gently guiding Hermione close to her. "Hermione this is Astoria Greengrass, do you remember her from school?" Hermione nodded mutely not even able to form a smile. Draco continued regardless. "Astoria, this is Hermione whom I know you remember from school...after all who doesn't?" Hermione shot a glare at Draco but he ignored her. Astoria was eyeing her suspiciously but she appeared to have calmed down, obviously soothed by Draco's confident manipulation of the situation.

"What is she doing in your office..." Astoria asked, as if Hermione wasn't standing right in front of her.

"We are finalizing a business deal," Draco said. "I'd just spilt my coffee down my shirt when you came in. I have to change because Hermione and I are attending a business dinner tonight."

Hermione glanced over at Draco, who had indeed got a large stain on his shirt. When did that happen? Had he split it down himself on purpose?

"Mmm," Astoria let her icy gaze survey Hermione again. She then offered her a hand, which to Hermione's surprise was encased in a white glove. Why was this woman dressed like her grandmother? Since when did woman wear matching suits and gloves? All she needed was a hat and she'd look like she had fell out of 1956! She realised Astoria was speaking. "Nice to meet you again, Hermione. Sorry to interrupt your meeting with my fiancée."

Hermione felt her mouth drop open and snapped it shut, pining a smile on her face as she shook Astoria's hand.

**Woo - nice bit of Dramione as promised - sorry it was rudely interrupted! Hope you are still enjoying the story. Please review and thanks for all the lovely reviews so far x**


	13. Going Dutch

Hermione shuffled in her seat as the waiter took their orders. This was a far less intimidating than the previous restaurant she had gone to with Draco. The decorations were rustic, everyone dressed casually and the atmosphere was relaxed. On top of that Hermione could actually understand the menu as well.

Astoria had left, seemingly placated by Draco who had then gone to get changed. Hermione tried her very best not to analyse his appearance but it was difficult when he was sitting opposite her, looking utterly gorgeous, his casual top clinging to him and his hair slightly ruffled. She sighed to herself wondering what had come over her tonight?

Neither of them had spoken very much and Hermione's mind was racing. So he was engaged to Astoria Greengrass? What had he meant by his personal life being complicated? Why did she care?

"Blaise is going to meet us back at the offices when we've eaten," Draco said. "We can show you the potion together."

"Great, I haven't seen Blaise since we left school," Hermione answered. She sipped her drink, trying to think how she could ask him about Astoria without being too obvious. "When are you getting married? Did you and Astoria keep in touch since you left school?" Yeh, good one Hermione! About as subtle as a brick.

"Three months time, at the Manor," Draco answered her quickly for a change. "I only met her again this year."

"Oh." Hermione couldn't help but sound surprised. She would never have thought of Draco as one to rush head first into marriage. Actually she had never imagined he would get married, he didn't seem the type. "We had better hurry up and get this potion sorted then, it can't interfere with your wedding plans."

"Hermione, why don't you just ask me what you really want to know?" Draco said.

"What do you mean?"

Draco counted off on his fingers. "Well, let's see. How did I meet her? Was it love at first sight? How many guests will we have? What's her dress like? Who's my best man?"

Hermione bit her lip, giving a little smile. "Sorry, I'll just mind my own business."

Draco leant back in his chair. "No, I'll answer each question as succinctly as I can." He counted off on his fingers again. "I met her again through her Father who I know from the business. No, definitely not, I don't believe in it. The number seems to rise each day but probably about 250. Haven't seen it, of course! And Blaise is."

Hermione grinned at him and his little question and answer session. She tried to match the answers to the questions and she was drawn to the one about if it was love at first sight. He had answered – no, definitely not - she found that a strange and very definite answer.

"Okay, so now I'm fully informed, thanks," Hermione said. "I apologise for being so nosey."

"You're forgiven," Draco said, quietly and Hermione glanced up at him. He was gazing at her over his wine glass and he gave her little grin that made her tingle. "Okay, now it's your turn. I want the story about lover boy."

"You're not really interested," Hermione said.

"Yes I am. I want to know how someone finally managed to get you into bed."

Hermione's mouth dropped open. "Malfoy! That's not funny!"

Draco grinned at her. "Yes it is and I mean it! You were always so prim and proper at school."

"No I wasn't! You didn't know what I was really like at school, you're just going on your biased impressions!" Hermione was annoyed at him. "Just because I wasn't shagging every boy in school, unlike you who seemed to be working his way down the list of girls!"

"See, now you're making biased assumptions!" Draco said. "I wasn't a really bad boy until I left Hogwarts!" Draco grinned at his clever answer, obviously not in the least bit bothered about admitting this.

"Merlin! How did we get onto this subject? I don't think I want to know any further details, thanks." Hermione shook her head.

"Anyway, maybe I need to think about revising my opinion after your little performance in my office, this evening!" Draco smirked at her. "You've obviously ripped plenty of shirts off in your time!"

Hermione burst out laughing. "I hardly ripped your shirt off!"

"Only because we were interrupted."

Hermione leant forward. "Interrupted by your fiancée! Do you always flirt with women in your office when she could walk in any minute? Maybe you need a little lesson on how this whole marriage thing works."

"Is that what you think I was doing? Flirting with you?" Draco asked, his voice smooth and Hermione realized how what she had said sounded. Like she thought he fancied her or something. "Because that would imply that you think I'm attracted to you..." Draco left the end of his sentence open and Hermione sipped her wine to cover her embarrassment.

"I didn't mean anything like that. Let's change the subject," she said.

"So have you ripped plenty of shirts of then?" Draco asked, cheekily and she glared at him.

"What on earth is the matter with you tonight? Have you been testing some of your more weird potions out on yourself?" Hermione smiled as she said this, pleased with her own wittiness.

"No, I don't sell weird potions. I can't say the same for you though!"

"What do you mean?"

"Well it's all very personal isn't it? Someone wants a particular potion and you just mix it for them. I bet it's all sorts of weird and wonderful stuff isn't it?" Draco wiggled his eyebrows at her. "So if a good looking man comes in do you mix yourself up a little potion and slip him some?"

Hermione knew she should have been insulted but she couldn't help but laugh at him. "Are you implying that's the only way I could attract a good looking man?"

Draco's mesmerizing eyes met hers and he shook his head slowly before speaking, separating each word. "Definitely not."

Luckily for Hermione their meal arrived at that very moment and she managed to avoid those eyes as they both ate their food. Draco then changed the subject and told her a few things about his business. Draco then asked for the bill and went to pay it but Hermione stopped him.

"No! You paid last time, it's my turn."

"Let's not do this again," Draco said. "I invited you, I pay. If you want to pay then you'll have to invite me next time."

"Draco..." she was stopped by him looking up at her.

"Yes, Hermione?" he emphasised her name and smiled at her and Hermione felt a sudden rush of emotion. Was this really Draco Malfoy making her feel like this?

"Let's pay half, I think I've already had enough of your cash for one day!" Even before she'd finished the sentence, Draco had stood up and was putting his money on the table, leaving her no choice but to also stand and scamper after him as he strolled towards the exit. He waited for her once he was outside the restaurant and she stormed out after him.

"Honestly! Why did you have to do that! I'm not one of your little, dreamy eyed dates who just want to ogle you all night while they eat and then expect you to pay!" Hermione launched into her speech.

"You're welcome," Draco said, dryly and Hermione closed her mouth, stopping the flow of words as she realized she was being ungrateful.

"I'm just used to looking after myself," Hermione attempted an explanation.

"And I'm used to women ogling me, dreamy eyed while they eat their meal and then expecting me to pay," Draco shrugged. "Looks like we're both on a learning curve, doesn't it?"

**Hope you liked it...let me know...x**


	14. The Potion

**Sorry for the delay - I've been on holiday. Anyway, I hope you'll all forgive me as this is a long chapter...**

Draco had re-introduced Blaise and Hermione who had grinned at one another. Hermione liked him immediately and he didn't look a day older than he had at school. The two men gave Hermione a little tour of their facility and then they took her to a small office and Draco made them all a drink. Hermione watched this with interest, surprised that he was doing it himself.

"So, Blaise why don't you tell Hermione about the potion?" Draco said, handing out the drinks and sitting down with the other two.

"From the beginning?" Blaise asked and Draco nodded. Again Hermione was fascinated because this was definitely a friendship rather than an employee and boss situation. They were relaxed in each other's company. "Well, I'm here one day and a couple of the staff are talking about this potion of which we were having a large quantity delivered. To cut a long story short they were moaning that you have to remember which potion does what and wouldn't be great if there was just one potion that did everything."

"Everything?" Hermione's voice showed her scepticism and she hoped desperately that this wasn't going to be their claim. A potion that would do anything?

"Yes. So it just sort of stuck in my brain and I kept thinking that there must be a way to make a potion that would do exactly that," Blaise stopped speaking and looked at Hermione. "I can tell by your face that you don't believe me but I'm going to prove you wrong."

"I hope so," Hermione said and she smiled at him.

"So I started playing about, trying to see if it was actually possible. I was supposed to be working on stuff for him but what the hell..." Blaise grinned at Draco who grinned back, amicably. "Anyway and I have to admit, completely by chance the one day the ingredients started knitting together. You know that's the main problem with any new potion? The ingredients don't mix properly."

"I know."

"Yeh, of course you do. Sorry. Anyway, it's almost right. It's mixing properly and we just need this last ingredient and it'll be perfect..." Blaise flashed his beaming smile at her and then jumped subjects completely, making Hermione blush. "You look bloody fantastic by the way, Hermione."

"Thanks."

Draco rolled his eyes at his friend. "Hands off, Zabini. Keep that dirty little mind of yours on the potion."

"It's not dirty and it's not little," Blaise answered. "So what do you think then, Hermione?"

Hermione didn't want to be rude but she was less than convinced that Blaise and Draco had managed to actually brew a potion that would do anything! If it really was that simple, someone else would have done it already by now. She tried to be polite.

"Well, the idea is genius of course but I am a little concerned about the potion. Are you sure it will do what you're claiming? It will do anything?"

Draco shook his head. "No! Of course it won't do anything!" he handed Hermione a piece of paper. "That's the list of ingredients. We've called it Requisito Elixer and it won't do everything," he shot Blaise a scathing look. "It will work like the room of requirement but in a physical way. You won't be able to change anything but things about yourself and it will only let you change what you require, not what you want."

"You've lost me," Hermione confessed. "What's the difference?"

"Well you might like to have hundreds of thousands of Galleons but you don't REQUIRE them, do you? That's a wish, not a requirement and it's not something to do with you physically. The things you require must be to do with you. You can't ask for the room to be enlarged because you need it bigger or the answers to an exam to be on the reverse of the paper."

"Yeh, what a shame that is," Blaise commented with a smirk.

"But you can require that you are two times more intelligent for the length of the exam or you can require to be taller so you can buy the cheaper trousers for the posh ball you're invited to..."

"Sounds a bit dodgy. Do you really want to sell a potion that lets the person who has taken it get exactly what they require?" Hermione asked. "Just imagine where that could lead?"

"No, that's not what it will be used for, I'm just giving you examples. Imagine an Auror wants to look older or change his hair colour so he's not recognized. How about requiring to be invisible?"

"It can make you invisible?" Hermione asked.

"Yes and not like a disillusionment charm. If you require to be invisible and undetectable for three hours then that's what will happen. It won't be hit and miss like the charm is."

"And what if it gets into the wrong hands?" Hermione felt like she was being negative but she had to ask.

"That's why it will need to be prohibited and controlled. Only sold with that special license of yours and the reason it's needed will have to be divulged," Draco explained.

"So that's why you need the Blue Violet..." Hermione started to say but Blaise interrupted her.

"You told her already?" he asked and Draco nodded.

"Yes. The three of us are in this together now, we can't do it without her," Draco said this calmly and Blaise looked at Hermione.

"I didn't mean I didn't want you to know...I just didn't think Draco would have told you yet." Blaise continued speaking. "So the Blue Violet will allow the potion to interpret the potion takers requirements. It's a vital ingredient because without that connection to the taker the potion is practically useless. It can't work without being able to understand the requirements."

Hermione nodded her head slowly. "Okay, I think I get it. The potion once taken will allow you to chose something you require, like the room of requirement does, only it will be a personal thing like being blonde or older or taller. I take it you can only require one thing at a time?" The men nodded at her but remained silent, letting her run through it to get it straight in her head. "And you just have to think of what you require?"

"Yes, the first thing you think of. But let's say you need to look like a certain other person then you just think that you require to look like them exactly and you will. No Polyjuice required," Blaise nodded, the little touch of excitement still in his voice.

"And how long will this last?" Hermione asked.

"Well, it's temporary just like any other Potion. Once the Potion goes through your system the effects wear off. So you can wish for something for a few hours but if you need it longer than that then you would have to take more potion and then wish for it again."

They both now looked at Hermione as she digested all this information they had given her. It seemed feasible that the potion could work in roughly the same way as the room of requirement but it was still a very big ask for one potion to do all this.

"Well?" Blaise prompted her.

"Errr...it sounds amazing," Hermione said.

"But?" Now Draco questioned her, sensing her hesitation.

"It just seems a lot for one potion to do and I'm not in any way belittling your achievement so far but how sure are you it will work?" Hermione directed her question at Blaise, nervous that Draco might bite her head off.

"Yeh, you're right. It is a complicated mix and there are lots of things that could go wrong. We can't test it properly without the Blue Violet of course but I think we've got it right," Blaise answered, in his easy going, amicable way. His face then broke into a stunning smile that seemed to light up his face and one which Hermione couldn't help but return. "Anyway, that's why we need your expertise. I think Draco and I have reached the end of our ability."

"Speak for yourself," Draco said.

Hermione ignored him and she shuffled around until she was sitting next to Blaise. She grabbed the ingredient list and put it between them.

"Okay, can we go through this list?" she asked.

"Yeh, of course," Blaise said and without further ado he started running down the list. "The Greenworm skin is the main binding ingredient..."

"Yes, that's good but only if there is enough Firplant Bark included..."

It wasn't until a good few minutes later that Hermione noticed that Draco had moved away and was shuffling bottles around at the back of the room, his entire demeanour projecting boredom and Hermione found herself smiling at him because he was acting like a very bored and petulant child. They had run through nearly the entire list anyway and Hermione's brain was buzzing.

"Thanks, Blaise. You're right, it does look good," Hermione said. "Shall I pop round again tomorrow and we can work through the rest. It's getting a bit late now?"

"Mmm...sounds like a date to me," Blaise said with a cheeky grin. "Especially if you let me take you for a drink later?"

Hermione looked at him from under her eyelashes before nodding. She couldn't help but feel complimented that Blaise had asked her out because he was very good looking and also very personable and she couldn't imagine that he was ever short of a date. She heard Draco clear his throat and turned to find him staring at them both.

"I'll take you home then," he said, quietly.

"No there's no need for that. I'll just floo or apparate," Hermione offered but Draco shook his head.

"Neither of which are allowed in the building or surrounding area."

"Then I'll walk a few streets down..."

"No. I'll take you home." Draco's tone didn't allow for any further arguments so Hermione waved goodbye to Blaise, who was grinning and then she followed Draco out of the room. He walked quickly and silently along numerous corridors and out of the building into the dark streets. Hermione almost had to run to keep up with him and she couldn't have managed to talk at the same time so it was a good thing that he didn't seem talkative. Eventually she became tired of almost sprinting and stopped abruptly, her hands on her hips. It took a moment for Draco to realize she had stopped and he turned around.

"I can't keep up! If you can't at least try and walk at my pace then just leave me alone and I'll get home myself!" Hermione snapped. Draco walked back towards her but before he could speak she continued. "I don't know what your problem is but don't think you can take this stand offish attitude with me and expect me to put up with it!"

"Calm down, Granger. I just wanted to get you home," Draco answered, calmly.

"I might have guessed that you'd show your true colours as soon as I'd agreed to all this!" Hermione said.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Nothing! Forget it!" Hermione went to push past him but he grabbed her arm.

"Granger!"

"I mean there's no longer any need to pretend that you might actually like me now I'm fully on board, is there? The charm button is most definitely off!" Hermione straightened her shoulders and tried to walk past him again but he held her tightly. She wasn't sure why she was so angry at him but his sudden change of attitude from the restaurant earlier was infuriating and this was how she remembered him.

"Yeh, well your charm button seems to be on full, doesn't it?" Draco's voice had suddenly changed and he pulled her a little closer. "It certainly worked on Blaise didn't it! Looks like I was right about you being easily able to attract good looking men and no potions required! Just a bit of intellectual flirting!"

"Intellectual flirting?"

"Yeh, in walks a great looking girl who has agreed to work on the potion with us. Then add in the fact that she's a brilliant witch who just happens to be one of the most intelligent people we know and no wonder Blaise is practically drooling over his potion recipe!"

Hermione blinked rapidly at his comment, surprised that he actually seemed upset. Was he actually bothered that she had agreed to go out with Blaise? His tone indicated exactly that but she didn't believe it. In fact she felt she must have dreamed the entire conversation because hadn't he just said that he had been right about her attracting good looking men? And did he, in a roundabout way, just call her great looking? She had absolutely no idea how to respond to him because it seemed totally unbelievable to her that Draco Malfoy had just admitted all that to her. Draco was looking down at the floor, kicking a small stone around. In the end she managed to say the only thing she could think of.

"Thank you." Draco looked up immediately as she said this and she shrugged at him. "I think I'm right to presume that somewhere buried deep in that sentence there was a compliment?" She tried a small smile, not quite sure how he'd respond and she was pleased to see his mouth turn up at the corners.

"Yes, but don't get used to it, my charm button's a bit faulty as you can probably tell," Draco said. "If I promise to slow down do you promise to stop screaming at me?"

Hermione nodded and they set off again, this time the silence seemed amicable and Hermione found herself repeating Draco's conversation over in her head. He really had complimented her and quite lavishly! He'd been talking about how Blaise saw her but she could read between the lines.

As they rounded the corner to Hermione's flat, Draco suddenly stopped and put his arm out causing her to run into it, knocking the breath out of her.

"What are you doing? You nearly choked me..." Hermione's words were stopped by Draco's hand over her mouth and he used his other hand to point in the direction of her flat. Standing in the doorway, was a tall man. His face was obscured so all that could be seen was his outline but there was no doubt that in his hand was a wand. Hermione felt a chill as her encounter in the Diagon Alley came back to her. The next thing she felt Draco pull her into a doorway. He then twisted them around until her back was against the wall and he leant backwards to see the shadowy figure again. When he spoke his voice was just above a whisper.

"Seems like someone is more than a little interested in our potion, doesn't it?"

**Hope you liked it. Thanks for keeping reading after the delay! Let me know what you think...x**


	15. A home visit

Hermione could feel her heart beating loudly because the fact that a man was lurking outside her apartment made her feel ill. What if Draco hadn't come home with her? For the second time recently she was extremely glad that Draco was with her.

"What are we going to do?" she whispered, trying to lean forward but she felt Draco push her back against the door.

"Bloody hell! He's walking towards us!" Draco sounded as scared as she was and Hermione felt him reach for his wand. He then seemed to hesitate, his head turned a little to keep one eye on the approaching figure. He then spoke again. "Kiss me!"

"What?" Hermione stared at him in utter astonishment. Draco pulled his hood up and grabbed Hermione who started to struggle. "You've got to be joking!"

"We can't let him see our faces, he might not know it's us..." Draco whispered but he didn't give Hermione a chance to answer him because he pressed his lips to hers, his hand holding her face. Hermione stopped struggling, realizing why Draco was asking her to do this. He held her still, his lips just touching hers but she had no idea where the wizard had gone or if he was near to them because Draco was totally blocking her view. And then she felt his lips move, just feather light against hers and suddenly her attention was taken away from the danger they might be in because she was totally enveloped in Draco and the way he was holding her. His lips moved again, just lightly but this time she responded, unable to stop herself. He was pressed against her, his one hand on her back, the other holding her head and she could feel the warmth of his body through his cloak. He smelt totally delicious, a fresh, outdoor smell and his lips tasted of mint, his breath warm and sweet. And now sensible, careful Hermione who should have been thinking about nothing except the fact they could be attacked at any moment, didn't exist because she had been overtaken by the Hermione that was melting very slowly against the tall, handsome and incredibly sexy man who was holding her. When his lips moved again, opening hers she let her hands move onto his chest, feeling him breathing.

Then Draco pulled away and he took a moment just staring at her before reality kicked in and he let her go, turning to look for the wizard. Hermione had to steady herself, afraid she might fall. What the hell was that? Their pretend kiss had felt anything but pretend. Wow! Draco could kiss even when he wasn't trying! She'd never felt like that when someone had kissed her before.

"He's disappeared," Draco said and she tried to gather her thoughts. He looked at her for a little longer than necessary before grabbing her hand and pulling her after him, towards her apartment.

"Be careful, he might still be here," Hermione whispered and she felt Draco squeeze her hand. Ridiculously, her stomach did a little flip at his show of affection and she again tried to get control of her raging emotions. Draco crept up the stairs and along the corridor to Hermione's flat. They had almost reached the door when, seemingly out of nowhere a spell shot past them, hitting the wall. Hermione dived one way, Draco dived the other and they both had their wands out. Another spell came from no-where and narrowly missed Draco who fired a spell back. Then Hermione saw the wizard who was half way up the next stairwell. She aimed a spell at him but he managed to repel it. She heard Draco cry out and turned to see him collapse onto the ground. Hermione stood to go over to him, searching the corridor for another wizard, because she now realized that there must be two. Her heart was racing and before she got half way to Draco she was grabbed from behind a hand going over her mouth to stop her screaming. She dropped her wand, struggling for release but the wizard was too strong. She stamped backwards onto his toe and he yelled in pain, twisting her arm behind her until she cried out.

"Be quiet and we won't hurt you," he said, gruffly.

Hermione realized the door to her apartment was already open and the wizard pushed her roughly inside, both of them having to step over Draco to get in. Hermione glanced down at him, he didn't look well. She tried to speak but the hand across her mouth was too tight. She was pushed onto the couch and she fell heavily. As soon as the hand left her mouth she spoke.

"Who are you? What do you want?" she went to stand. "I need to check on Draco, what have you done to him?"

"Your boyfriends fine, now sit still like a good girl and this will be over quickly," the gruff voice said again and Hermione tried to focus on him. He had his face covered and all she could see were his eyes but he was tall and big, seeming to fill her small room.

The other wizard entered. "We haven't got long, he'll wake soon," he said, glancing over at Hermione on the couch. His voice was quieter and he was smaller in stature. He came straight over to her, his wand raised.

"Tell us where the potion is kept and that will be the end of it," he said.

"What potion?"

He pressed the end of his wand against her throat. "Don't act stupid with us, Hermione because we know perfectly well that is one thing you're not!"

Hermione gulped, not liking the fact that they knew her name and that they seemed to know things about her. She decided honesty would be best. "There isn't any potion yet. The recipe isn't even complete..."

The smaller wizard bent down in front of her. "Don't mess with us or your boyfriends little nap could become more permanent."

"I'm not lying! Draco wanted my help to complete the recipe! It's not finished!" Hermione insisted, trying to think of a way to get out of this.

The wizard pressed his wand into her throat, making her gasp. "Not good enough. Where is the recipe?"

"I don't know that either. They haven't shown me yet."

"Really? I think you're lying," the taller wizard said from across the room. He waved a bottle at her. "Looks like we're going to have to use Veritaserum which is a shame because I thought you'd be sensible."

"I'm telling the truth! Now I want to check Draco," Hermione went to stand but she was pushed down, roughly.

"Sit down!"

Suddenly the taller wizard let out a yell and dropped the bottle onto the floor and Hermione took the opportunity to grab the smaller wizard's wand and point it at him. A spell came in from the doorway that hit the large wizard and he immediately stumbled backwards before bolting for the door, pushing past Draco who was on his knees obviously still suffering from the effects of the spell that had hit him before. Hermione put the wand to the throat of the wizard in front of her, as he had done to her.

"Are you okay?" she asked Draco, glancing over at him.

"Yes, I'll be fine in a minute. Are you?"

"Yeh." Hermione turned her attention to the remaining wizard. "Why do you want the potion?" she demanded, shoving his wand roughly into his throat. He remained silent so she pushed it a little harder and he grunted. He then stepped backwards and made to grab the wand from her but just as she moved it out of his reach he fell forwards towards her as Draco, who was now standing, fired a spell at him. The wizard stumbled, knocking Hermione back onto the sofa. She saw Draco aiming another spell at him.

"No!" Hermione shouted. "We won't be able to find out who they are!"

"He doesn't seem in the mood for a chit chat," Draco answered her, approaching the wizard who was glaring at him.

"Not with you, Malfoy," he said, maliciously and Hermione was unsettled that he seemed to know Draco as well.

"The potion is mine and mine alone. From now on you leave Hermione out of it. She doesn't know anything," Draco said. Suddenly the wizard lunged for Draco and Hermione threw a spell at him but it missed. He ran straight at Draco who's responses were still not quite back to normal and Draco missed grabbing him by an inch. They both fired spells at him but he was out the door. Draco took off after him and Hermione pushed herself off the couch to follow. She ran out into the corridor which was now empty but she could hear movements below. She was worried about Draco because the spell that had floored him was still affecting him. She made for the stairs when she heard a door slam and Draco appeared at the bottom.

"He lost me, I couldn't keep up!" Draco was bent over and he lowered himself onto the stairs, heavily and Hermione rushed down to him.

"It's the spell, it's still affecting you," she said. She helped him to his feet and they struggled up the stairs again. Draco lay on the sofa and Hermione locked the door and checked her flat. They had obviously gone through drawers but nothing seemed to be missing. Eventually Draco sat up, rubbing his head. "Sorry, I was pathetic," he said.

Hermione grinned at him. "Pretty much what I expected of a Slytherin," she said and he glared at her.

"I saved your ass, Granger."

"Still not impressed, Malfoy."

"Bookworm."

"Ferret."

They threw insults at each other but they were both grinning. It felt very strange to Hermione to be teasing Draco Malfoy and having him tease her back. As if they were friends, it was all very weird. Draco hesitated before he spoke again.

"Sorry, it's my fault you're being stalked and attacked."

"Yes it is. You owe me big time, Malfoy," Hermione nodded in agreement with him.

"Yeh, I do," Draco admitted and Hermione stared at him surprised. Draco looked round her flat. "You can't stay here tonight in case they come back," he said and Hermione raised her eyebrows at him.

"Are you offering to pay for a swanky hotel for me?" she asked.

"No, you can come and stay at mine." Draco answered casually. Hermione put down the papers she was tidying and stared at him.

"No, I'll be fine."

"No you won't. It's not worth the risk, just come to mine."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Hermione said, quietly.

"Why not?" Draco folded his arms in front of him. "Don't tell me you actually think I'm inviting you over for any other reason than your safety?"

"No, of course not. I just think it's a bit weird, that's all."

"I slept here!"

"That's not the same."

"Why not?"

"It's just not." Hermione looked over at him and he grinned.

"I promise not to laugh at your silly pyjamas," he said.

"They're not silly."

"Yes they are!" Draco chuckled. "Really sexy!" he said this sarcastically.

"At least I wear some sort of nightwear!" Hermione pointed out. "Especially when I'm at someone else's flat!"

Draco chuckled again. "Bet you've kissed the sofa, haven't you?"

"Oh please!"

Draco walked closer to her and put his hands on her shoulders. "I won't take no for an answer. You're staying at mine so pack a bag."

Hermione gave in and began to pack. She really did not want to stay on her own.

"They weren't exactly brave were they?" Draco said, taking her bag. "They both bolted as soon as they had the chance. It doesn't make sense, if they seriously wanted the potion or it's recipe they didn't exactly put up much of a fight for it!"

"Yeh, you're right. And they seem to know a lot about us...almost too personal somehow." Hermione shivered. "Shame he ran because I could have persuaded him to tell us who they are," Hermione insisted.

Draco turned to look at her his face showing his amusement. "Do you have some interrogating skills you've failed to mention, Hermione?" he asked with a suggestive grin and she rolled her eyes at him. He bent closer and spoke close to her ear. "I'm suddenly looking forward to you sleeping over at mine!"

**Another long chapter - hope you liked it and they kissed albeit not a real one! Let me know what you think so far and if you like the speed and way the story is progressing. I'm always concious of keeping them in character, especially Draco who can easily slip into being too nice and losing his edge. So a little review would be great...thanks for all the reviews so far. x**


	16. A little confession

Hermione stood in the doorway of Draco's apartment (it was definitely an apartment and not a flat!) taking in her surroundings. His apartment was top floor and there were large, full length windows at the one end, the sleek black blinds still open allowing Hermione to view the lights of the city. The apartment was large and open-plan, she could see some large sofa's, a dining table and a kitchen. Hermione was surprised by how plush everything was, warm and welcoming with cushions and deep pile carpet. Every item oozed quality and expense but there was none of the minimal, bare, cold feeling she had been expecting.

"Why are you standing there?" Draco asked, breaking into her thoughts.

"Errm..." Hermione stuttered, feeling a little overwhelmed.

"Come in!" Draco walked over and grabbed her bag. "I'll show you round then we can have a drink. I don't know about you but I'm too wound up to sleep yet."

Hermione followed him obediently across the large, open plan room and down a small corridor that lead of it with doors either side. Draco opened a door about half way down.

"Bathroom," he said and Hermione glanced in. He opened the door at the bottom of the corridor. "Guest room." he waved her in before him and she entered. The room was spacious with a large bed in the middle that had been immaculately made up. It looked too good to mess up by sleeping in. "Okay?" Draco asked.

"Oh, yes. It's great, thanks."

Hermione left her bag by the door and followed Draco back up the corridor. At the top he stopped again and tapped on the door. "This is my bedroom, just in case you're interested in trying out your interrogation techniques." He grinned at her and she couldn't help but giggle.

"I'll try and restrain myself," she said.

Draco went to get them a drink and after looking out at the view for a few minutes, Hermione sat down on one of the sofa's trying to relax. She felt wound up like a spring which wasn't surprising considering the events of the evening and the fact that she was now sleeping over at Draco Malfoy's apartment! Draco placed her drink in front of her.

"You're quiet are you sure you feel okay?" he asked, sitting opposite.

"I think I'm just a bit overwhelmed by everything!" Hermione confessed. "I can't believe we actually had to fight with two wizards tonight! And I can't believe I'm here!"

Draco grinned at her last few words. "It's just my apartment!"

"I know! That's what I mean! I'm in Draco Malfoy's apartment! His bachelor pad!" she put her hand to her mouth. "Oh god! How many girls have slept in the bed I'm sleeping in? Actually, don't answer that."

"Most girls who spend the night here, don't end up in the guest bed, Hermione," Draco said with a smirk and Hermione groaned. "In fact you might be the first..." Draco was stopped by Hermione jumping to her feet.

"Oh! I have to go now!" she said.

"What? Why? I was joking..." Draco asked.

"Astoria! What if she finds out I'm here? I can't stay here all night! What if she turns up?" Hermione went to walk to get her bag but Draco grabbed her wrist, pulling her back down.

"Calm down! Astoria won't just turn up!"

"She's your fiancée! She could come round any minute," Hermione said.

"It doesn't work quite like that," Draco said, uncomfortably. "It's my apartment, I decide who stays here and Astoria has no say in it."

"But she's your fiancée!"

"Yes, not my wife. Not yet. So relax, will you?" Draco sighed.

"But she's already caught us in your office..." Hermione stopped speaking, realizing this didn't sound very good.

"Caught us doing what?" Draco asked then he tapped his forehead as if he'd just remembered. "Aaah yes! She caught you ripping my shirt off."

"I wasn't ripping your shirt off!" Hermione protested but she sat back in her seat because despite her insistence to leave, she actually didn't have anywhere else to go. "Draco?" Hermione began her question and he looked at her.

"You keep calling me that,"

"Sorry."

"I'm not complaining," Draco said, quietly and Hermione felt a little tingle. She almost forgot what she had wanted to ask him but he was still looking at her enquiringly.

"I don't want to pry..."

"But you're going to anyway."

"It's just that Astoria is your girlfriend and yet you never seem to be with her...and you told me it was complicated," Hermione bit her lip, wishing she hadn't started but it was too late now and she had to carry on. "And if she's your fiancée why wouldn't she just pop round here if she wanted?"

Draco clasped his hands in front of him and stared down at them and Hermione could sense his turmoil. She didn't know what had made her ask as it was none of her business but Draco was always so vague and reluctant to share any personal information that it just made her want to know more. And now she was sitting in his apartment, his personal space and somehow she just felt that she could ask. He still hadn't looked up at her and she felt nervous, wondering if she'd overstepped her mark. Suddenly Draco looked up and answered with a question she really wasn't expecting.

"Why do you want to know?"

Hermione swallowed nervously and shrugged. "Because I'm nosey."

"Well in that case mind your own business," Draco's answer was blunt and he didn't smile to tone down his words and Hermione felt her stomach drop. She knew that her being nosey wasn't really why she had asked. It was more than that but she hadn't really admitted it to herself yet, let alone to Draco. His blunt answer had been left open ended and she sensed that far from Draco wanting the conversation to be over he wanted her to say more.

"You don't seem happy," Hermione blurted out. She then put her hand to her mouth, hardly believing she had just said those words. Draco's eyes widened and she was surprised to see him give a small smile.

"Well, I have to admire you for being so straight to the point," he said. "It's still none of your business though."

Hermione sighed, feeling frustrated at Draco's reluctance to talk about anything other than work. "Fine. Sorry I asked," she said, taking a large sip of her drink. "It's really late, I think I'll go to bed." She stood up, hardly glancing at Draco and turned to walk towards the bedrooms. She was sorry she'd spoilt the evening because she really felt that she and Draco were becoming closer and it was a shame that it was always such hard work to maintain their delicate relationship.

"Hermione." His voice stopped her in her tracks and she turned to look at him. He was still on the sofa, his hands clasped but he was looking up at her. "It's an arrangement...we have an arrangement..." Hermione stared at him, not entirely surprised by his confession but very surprised that he was actually telling her. She walked back over to him and sat down again. She didn't dare ask him to elaborate on what he meant by an arrangement so she just waited until he spoke again. "Her Father's business sells potion ingredients on a large scale. That's how I met her again, when my business started dealing with his. He's a hard businessman who knows how to make a deal and I needed cheaper supplies so we came to an arrangement where he sells me the potion ingredients at a discounted price and I give him a cut of my profit on the potion." Draco paused and Hermione still didn't interrupt him, letting him tell her in his own time. This was the most Draco had ever said to her about his life and she didn't want to interrupt his flow. Draco ran his hand through his hair, obviously still not comfortable with the subject matter. "Anyway, it was all working fine and I was doing really well out of it and then he started reducing the discount. We negotiated but he was being stubborn and it really puzzled me because we had both being doing well out of the deal beforehand, it didn't make sense. That was when I was asked to their house for dinner, a business dinner I thought but when I got there it was far more of a social occasion. Daphne was there, all gushing as if we'd been best friends at school or something and at the table I was conveniently seated next to Astoria."

"I can see where this is going," Hermione said, giving him the opportunity to stop his tale right now if he wanted but Draco just sighed.

"Yeh, I could see where it was going as well so I tried to make it clear that I was only interested in our business relationship. My personal life was complicated enough without adding daddy's little girl to the problem." Hermione let the last sentence sink in and immediately had a whole new bundle of questions but she knew now wasn't the time. "Anyway, it became clear that the deal was off unless I showed Astoria a bit of attention. So I did exactly that, I took her out, wined and dined her but then that wasn't enough. The deal was off if we didn't start going out properly. I tried to get another supplier, there are loads but the discounts from Greengrass were way beyond what anyone else was offering and the one ingredient, used in our best selling potion was only sold in bulk by him. So foolishly I went with it and started dating her." Draco paused again and sat back in his chair. Hermione was fascinated, seeing this side to him. The arrogance and confidence were gone, he just looked anxious and pale. "I don't like conducting my business like this, Hermione. I like it to be above board and fair. This feels underhand and wrong somehow. To be honest, if it wasn't for Astoria, I'd have told him to shove it by now."

"What do you mean?"

"She's nice...a bit air headed but her hearts in the right place and I know she likes me," Draco shook his head. "She doesn't love me, she's been persuaded into all this the same way I have but we do care about each other as friends. So, now I'm engaged to be married and daddy Greengrass will have a least one of his daughters married off into the right social status, mixing with the right people, raising the company profile so he'll be happy."

"But what about you two? You can't marry each other just because of the business!" Hermione was shocked that Draco was going along with it.

"I know that but I should have put an end to it ages ago. It's too late now...I don't care about the deal, not anymore but I do care about Astoria and I won't drop her in it," Draco said this forcefully and Hermione knew his mind was made up. "She's let herself go with it now and she's excited about us getting engaged...I can't leave her to have to pick up the pieces with Daddy..."

"But you can't marry someone you don't love!"

"Spoken like a true Gryffindor! People marry someone they don't love all the time."

"I hardly know you but I knew you were unhappy! What does that tell you? Do you want to spend the rest of your life unhappy?"

"Why not? It's not exactly been one little joyful experience after another so far so it's not as if I'm not used to it..."

They stared at one another for a moment and Hermione felt supremely sad on his behalf. What a shame that he and Astoria had let themselves get dragged into this. She still thought that although Draco was going ahead with the arrangement for all the right reasons it would still be better to break it off now and suffer some short term pain rather than making two people's lives miserable for the twenty or thirty years. She was a little surprised at his values and his willingness to stand by Astoria despite it being the last thing he wanted. For his own sake, she wished he would revert to the Draco she had known at school who didn't care less about anyone else or doing the right thing.

"So now you know..." Draco said, swigging the last of his drink before putting his glass back down heavily on the table.

"What happens when you meet someone?" Hermione asked, her voice quiet.

"What do you mean?"

"You marry Astoria and I'm sure you can make a good pretence of being together. So you're friends with each other and then one day you meet someone else, someone you want to be more than friends with. What happens then?" Hermione didn't care now what she said to him because she really didn't want him to make a big mistake.

"Who's to say I'll meet anyone?"

"You will! Of course you will! I mean, have you seen you?"

For the first time in ten minutes, Draco smiled. "What? Have I seen me? What are you on about?"

Hermione leaned forward. "At the risk of inflating your ego, you're the kind of man most women would love to date. Rich, successful, charming...handsome." Draco's grin widened at this and Hermione rolled her eyes. "What I'm trying to say is that you'll always have women interested in you and if you were properly married to someone you love then it wouldn't matter because you wouldn't be interested in anyone else. But if you and Astoria are just friends..."

"Well, at the risk of spoiling your fairytale image of marriage, I won't be expected to stay faithful if you know what I mean," Draco explained and Hermione sighed.

"Yeh, you can take any woman you want to bed and your wife won't mind – how lovely!" she said. "You're still missing the point. What if you fall in love with someone else? What if you want to marry them? You might be able to be blasé about it now but wait until it happens, you'll feel differently then." Hermione finished her little speech and stared at Draco who's stormy, grey eyes were staring back at her. He didn't answer her immediately and she could see he was thinking about what she'd said.

"I suppose I'll just have to make sure I don't fall in love with anyone, won't I?" he said.

"Falling in love isn't something you can control."

"Very romantic I'm sure," Draco's voice was laced with sarcasm.

Hermione stood up again and walked over to him. She bent lower before speaking. "This isn't a game, Draco. One day you'll wake up and wish you hadn't done it. One day you'll wake up very lonely and I wouldn't wish that on anyone, even you."

**Ha! A little bit of information at last! But there's still more. Hope you liked the chapter and I hope you liked it that he felt he could confess this to Hermione. Reviews are lovely things and even a little one would make me very happy...x**


	17. Ooops

Hermione woke up early aware that she was somewhere different. She sneaked quietly out of her room, down the corridor and headed for the kitchen. It was quiet from Draco's room so she presumed he must be in bed. She was tempted to pack and go before he got up but that would have been rude. As she entered the kitchen she noticed a note, pinned to the wall.

**Hey Granger,**

**I had to leave for the office early but please make yourself at home. **

**I've rung the Weaslette and she is going to open up and run the shop for you today.**

**I'll be back before lunch so drink coffee and read the newspapers.**

**Malfoy**

Hermione read the note three times, surprised at the tone and the content. He'd actually rung Ginny and sorted out the shop? Hermione found it amusing that he'd even thought about it! Nevertheless, she had no intention of leaving Ginny the responsibility of the shop, that wouldn't be fair. She would have a quick coffee then go straight over there. She then noticed three little letters at the bottom of Draco's note.

**P.T.O.**

Hermione flipped the piece of paper over and read the back.

**No - you won't have a quick coffee and then go into the shop today! Ginny can cope perfectly well and I've told her to send you home if you turn up.**

**Make coffee, go to the couch, grab a magazine and RELAX! I mean it!**

**Draco**

Hermione stared at the words on the paper, totally astonished that he knew her well enough to write that. He must have known exactly what she would think! How! She had no idea what he was thinking at all! And the whole tone of the message on the back was written as you would write to a friend, a good friend. It was written with affection and familiarity and it was signed Draco. She took a few steps backwards and her legs came into contact with the sideboard and she sat down heavily on it, still staring at the note. Suddenly and totally unexpectedly, she felt a rush of emotion and it was an emotion she would never dreamed she would have felt towards Draco Malfoy. He was still that arrogant, obnoxious, know it all from school some of the time but he was also kind, sweet and funny. But more than that, after last night she'd seen him vulnerable, fed-up, tired and deflated just like everyone else felt at times and it had been refreshing to see that Draco also had those feelings. She didn't like him to be upset, of course but she felt that a huge barrier had been removed between them, not because of what he had told her but just the fact he had been willing to tell her at all.

She stared at the note for a while before doing as it said and going to make herself a coffee. She then walked around the room, just taking in the things, drinking in this personal space of Draco Malfoy. She was half tempted to check out his bedroom but stopped herself. Instead she stretched out on the large sofa near to the windows, drank her coffee and scanned the papers. After just a few minutes it didn't seem strange at all and she relaxed, enjoying the peace and quiet.

Eventually she had a shower and got dressed, feeling slightly strange again because all of Draco's toiletries were in the bathroom and she found herself sniffing his cologne bottle and even spraying a little bit on herself. She then put the bottle down abruptly, realizing this would be considered slightly strange behaviour. She then tidied the kitchen (Draco hadn't cleared up his breakfast items) and then felt at a bit of a lose end. That was when the temptation overtook her and she found herself very slowly turning the handle of his bedroom door.

She stepped in cautiously and surveyed her surroundings. It was tastefully decorated, everything co-ordinated and the room was big with Draco's bed placed diagonally at one corner. He'd obviously attempted to make it but it still looked untidy so Hermione went over to it to straighten the covers. She then realized that he'd know she'd been in there if she did that, so she messed them up again but they didn't look right. Panicking slightly she ruffled the covers again, crumpling the pillows but still it didn't look as Draco had left it. She realized there was only one way to crumple it properly so she gingerly climbed on and lay on her back, shuffling around and making a dent in the pillow with her head. The bed smelt of Draco, the crisp sheets felt smooth and clean, the mattress soft and Hermione was immediately jealous of Draco being able to sleep in here every night.

"Well, this wasn't exactly the greeting I was expecting but hey, I'm not complaining!" Draco's voice made Hermione literally jump off the bed, mortified. She could feel her face burning and she buried her head in her hands, totally and utterly distraught that he'd caught her not only in his bedroom but actually on his bed!

"Oh Merlin," was all she could mumble and she felt fear streak through her because she'd probably just managed to negate the entire deal with Draco in one go. She still couldn't look up at him and she desperately wished that the ground would open up and swallow her.

"My sentiments exactly! Finding Hermione Granger writhing around on my bed made me think exactly that! I suppose I did tell you to make yourself at home."

"Oh god! I'm so sorry! I've no excuse...I was making the bed...it looked a mess...I'll just go now..." Hermione started to explain but realized that whatever she said sounded bad and nothing excused the fact that she was in his bedroom in the first place. She tried to walk across the room without looking at him but within two steps he had walked straight up to her blocking her way. "Just let me go, please! I just need to leave right now and I know the deal will be off..."

"Why would the deal be off?"

Hermione managed to talk to his chest. "I'm nosing around your home when you've let me stay and left me that note and..."

"So you're nosey? So what? I knew that already. I don't see any reason for the deal to be off." Draco grabbed her arms and pulled her against him and she just wanted to die. He took steps forward, making her walk backwards until her legs hit the edge of his bed again. "You want to get in my bed then please just help yourself." He gave her a gentle shove and Hermione fell backwards, back onto the bed.

"Draco..."

"There you go again, using my name," Draco bent over her, putting his lips next to her ear. "Now you're back on the bed it'd be a shame for me not to join you, wouldn't it?"

Hermione looked straight at him now, her eyes wide. "What? No!"

Draco stood up and it was the first time she'd looked at him properly. He was chuckling, grinning from ear to ear. "Joking, Granger! I've never had to force a girl into my bed and I don't intend to start now." He offered Hermione his hand and she took it, allowing him to pull her to standing again. "Calm down and go and get ready, I'm taking you to lunch."

"No...really I can't. It's just best if I go," Hermione tried to walk past him, her need to escape more urgent than anything else. Draco bent slightly and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"You're not going anywhere! Stop getting so worked up! I don't care if you were messing around, in fact I don't care what you've been up to." He flicked his forehead with his finger. "There! It's gone! I don't even remember seeing you being in here."

Hermione stared at him in wonder, completely shocked by his amused attitude. Was he really going to make it this easy for her? She bit her lip, still anxious to leave but at the same time really not wanting to. She wanted to have lunch with Draco, she wanted to sit opposite him and chat, knowing that every other female's eyes in the restaurant would be on him but that she'd be the one he was with. She shocked herself with this admission and she suddenly knew that she wouldn't be leaving. She took a deep breath.

"Okay, I'll go and get ready," she moved passed him towards the door before turning back. "Oh...errr...sorry..." To which she just received a hearty chuckle in response.

**Ooops! Hope you found this amusing...keep reading and a reviewing...x**


	18. The other Slytherin

Hermione was still feeling very embarrassed by the time they reached the place they were having lunch. She couldn't imagine the feeling ever wearing off! Draco Malfoy had found her on his bed for Merlin's sake! She blushed again at the thought of it.

"Stop thinking about it," Draco said from across the table and she looked over at him from above her menu. "I mean, one of us not being able to get the image of you rolling about on my bed is more than enough." She rolled her eyes and groaned and Draco chuckled again. A very small part of her was enjoying the teasing compliments Draco was paying her. The old Draco would have insulted her saying he'd have to burn his sheets or something but of course they had all grown up now. "What would you like to eat?"

"I'm not hungry," Hermione said but Draco just ignored her and ordered for them both. "I'll go straight home after lunch and maybe you could let me know when you need me again?" Hermione offered, not wanting to be any sort of a nuisance. She just wanted to fade into the background for a bit to regain her dignity.

"Yeh, go straight home after lunch that's a good idea," Draco agreed and Hermione couldn't help but feel just slightly upset, despite her being the one who had offered. He then continued. "Pack some clothes and come straight back. Then we can go over to see Blaise."

"Why do I need clothes?"

"Because I don't think you should stay at your flat on your own until we have some idea whom it is that is after the potion," Draco said. "You can stay with me until we sort it out."

"No!" Hermione blurted out then realized how rude she sounded. "I'll be fine, thank you."

Draco looked up at her and put his head to one side. "You probably will be fine but it's not worth the risk."

"Really, Draco I mean it. I can't stay at yours, apart from anything else we don't know how long all this is going to take!" Hermione shook her head. "I'm going home."

"Are you rejecting my invitation?" Draco leant forward and grinned wickedly at her. "Just think of all the rolling around on my bed you could do!"

And this time, Hermione couldn't help but giggle. It was so embarrassing but even she could see that it was also a very amusing situation and Draco was handling it so well that she felt just a little better. She sighed, reluctant to stay with Draco but equally reluctant to go home on her own.

"I'll stay one more night..."

Draco grinned at her as if he'd won, which he probably had. "I knew the offer of rolling around in my bed would persuade you."

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

So, at just after 5pm after having gone home to pack a small case, Hermione found herself sitting with Blaise and Draco going through the ingredients of the potion. Her embarrassment had all but disappeared now as she was engrossed in the task in hand. They mixed some of the ingredients together and Hermione began to get a better understanding of how the potion worked.

"This part is really clever," she said as she watched the ingredients begin to thicken and change colour. "This would be where we add the Blue Violet and I can't see any reason why it wouldn't blend."

"Genius, that's me!" Draco said.

"Us. He means us," Blaise corrected, flashing his smile at Hermione. "Are you still letting me take you out afterwards? I hope so, I'm looking forward to it."

"Me too, but maybe it would be better another night as I'm staying at Draco's again tonight," Hermione said.

"Staying at Draco's? Again?" Blaise asked.

"She's not safe at her flat on her own," Draco interrupted, before Hermione could answer. "She'll be staying with me till we can make sure she's safe."

"How convenient!" Blaise said then he turned back to Hermione. "So, why don't you just come to mine instead tonight?"

"Errr..." Hermione found herself in an awkward position, not wanting to upset anyone. If she was honest it just wouldn't feel right going back to Blaise's, especially not after she'd been out for a drink with him. It suddenly occurred to her how weird it was that the choice that felt less strange was staying with Draco!

"No, she's staying at my flat. I have security," Draco's reply didn't encourage any further discussion so Blaise turned to Hermione.

"Just a quick drink and then I'll take you back to Draco's," Blaise said and Hermione nodded, still feeling awkward. They cleared the potion away and then Draco said he was going to stay behind so Hermione left with Blaise. They walked to a small bar a few streets away and then settled themselves at a table near the window. Hermione did feel slightly guilty that she'd just left Draco on his own when she was staying at his but Blaise was his usual cheerful self, not seeming to be bothered in the slightest so she relaxed a little.

"How are you after last night?" Blaise asked.

"I'm fine, it was nothing really."

"Once a Gryffindor, always a Gryffindor!" Somehow Blaise managed to say this without making it sound like a fault, as Draco would have done.

"How did you end up working for Draco?" Hermione

"Well, we kept in touch after we left school and I dabbled around with some other jobs but nothing really suited me. I was always the same at school, I could never excel at one subject instead I was just good across the whole range. Anyway, I bumped into Draco one night at a party and we got talking and the next day I was working for him! It suits me because I get to do a little bit of everything and obviously it's a help being best friends with the boss!" Blaise grinned at her. "When he's a grump I get to tell him he's one whilst being paid to do so!"

"Would that be every day then?" Hermione asked then bit her lip, hoping Blaise wouldn't jump to Draco's defence.

"Every hour, more like!" he said with a chuckle. "He's alright really. He's totally different to when he was at school as he no longer had Lucius breathing down his neck. Anyway, I don't want to talk about Draco, tell me about you. How come some man hasn't swept you off your feet yet?"

"Err..well I was with someone for a while but it didn't work out."

"Why not? Is he blind or stupid or both?"

Hermione smiled at Blaise, pleased by his compliment. "Are you sure you should be complimenting a Gryffindor this much?"

"Probably not!"

"I'm really glad Draco asked me to help with the potion," Hermione said.

"Despite being attacked and having to be Draco's lodger?" Blaise grinned at her. "Make sure you lock your bedroom door, he's not used to having a woman in the room next to his, he might feel the need to come in and join you! And he's not used to being told no!"

"I can imagine," Hermione said and Blaise raised his eyebrows at her. Hermione back tracked quickly. "I mean I can imagine that most women find him attractive."

"Including you?" Blaise asked.

"Me? No!...I mean he is handsome but he isn't my type," Hermione wondered how they'd got back onto the subject of Draco so quickly again.

"So rich, handsome and clever doesn't do it for you, Hermione?" Blaise asked. He pretended to stand up. "I'd better be going then as I'm obviously not going to be your type either!" They both laughed at this.

"Draco's too sure of himself and I can never tell which Draco I'm going to get from one minute to another. Fun Draco, sarcastic Draco, moody Draco, funny Draco...the list goes on," Hermione shrugged.

"Yeh but cut him a bit of slack," Blaise said. "He's had a bad time really, at school and after leaving."

"We all had a bad time at school!" Hermione pointed out. "My bad time had a whole lot to do with Draco bloody Malfoy!"

Blaise laughed at her. "I suppose you have a point."

"So why has he had a bad time after school? He's built up a really successful business and he seems to be living more than comfortably."

"Personally I mean."

"Oh, do you mean the whole Astoria thing? I told him he is making a big mistake," Hermione stopped suddenly realizing that she'd been told this in confidence and that maybe Blaise knew nothing about it.

"He told you about that?" Blaise sounded astonished. "How did you manage to get that out of him?"

"I don't know...he just sort of told me..." Hermione was glad Blaise knew about it already. "I told him he seemed unhappy."

"Did you?" The surprised tone hadn't left Blaise's voice, he laughed loudly. "You're really funny!"

"In a good way, I hope?"

"In a very good way, of course! I had no idea you were like this at school. I love the way you are so honest with Draco. Most people are scared to death to challenge him about anything."

"Yeh, well I remember him as a little, white ferret maybe that reduces my fear of him!"

Blaise laughed again, his white teeth bright against his dark skin. Hermione found herself analysing his appearance and she liked how he looked, he was striking. She liked him, he was really nice, easy to talk to and funny. Then that annoying little voice in her head asked a silent question that she didn't want to answer. If Blaise was so great, then why did she keep thinking about Draco and why had they talked about very little else? "What happened with Draco then?"

Blaise seemed to hesitate. "I'm not sure I should tell you, it's up to him really," he paused then shrugged. "Sorry, I probably shouldn't have mentioned anything."

"We should change the subject," Hermione acknowledged. She looked over at Blaise who was looking at her thoughtfully.

"You like him, don't you?" he asked quietly.

"What? No!" Hermione exclaimed. "I mean...I don't dislike him any longer but no...I don't like him." She shook her head vehemently. "I really like you though," she blurted out and then blushed. Blaise smiled warmly at her.

"Good because I really like you too."

"Good," Hermione said with a small smile.

"So can I take you out Saturday then? And we're not allowed to mention Mr Malfoy," Blaise asked.

"Yes, that would be lovely," Hermione nodded.

**This was a bit of a filler chapter, trying to move the story along a little and introduce Blaise a bit more. x**


	19. Insults

**Sorry for the huge delay in posting! It's probably the longest it has ever taken me! I could give you a huge list of excuses but suffice to say it has been a crazy few days! Heres a chapter for you...and the next one won't be long I promise!**

Hermione said goodbye to Blaise in the foyer of Draco's apartment block and then went up in the lift to the top floor. She knocked on the door and Draco opened it quickly. He looked out into the corridor, obviously expecting Blaise to be there as well.

"What happened? Did you argue? He's not as nice as he seems..." Draco said. He was obviously joking about his friend but Hermione didn't miss the slightly off hand manner of his greeting.

"No, he just dropped me downstairs. I came up on my own." Draco didn't comment further and she followed Draco into his flat feeling slightly apprehensive. She felt uneasy about staying here again and the fact she'd just been on a date with Draco's best friend made everything even more awkward. Draco went straight to the kitchen, ignoring her and Hermione stood in the lounge for a few moments, not quite sure what to do. She really wanted to just escape to her room but this would have seemed rude so she walked over to the window and lowered herself onto the couch, picking up a magazine. She couldn't concentrate on the page though as she was acutely aware of Draco in the kitchen. He seemed to be ages and she began to wonder what he was doing when he appeared again, glancing around the room.

"Would you like a drink?" he asked her and Hermione jumped up.

"Yes, that would be nice but I'll make it. I don't expect you to wait on me."

"I have no intention of waiting on you," Draco said, bluntly and he disappeared into the kitchen again, leaving her standing staring after him. She felt slightly annoyed now because she knew she wasn't imagining his bad mood. He obviously had a problem and the only thing it could be was her date with Blaise and this made her angry. How dare he be rude to her because of that? She sat back down again, grabbing the magazine roughly and sighing loudly. She heard him approaching her and he placed the cup on the small table next to her.

"Thanks," she murmured, purposely keeping her eyes on the page. If he wanted to give her the cold shoulder then she would just return the favour. Draco hesitated, obviously slightly surprised at her response.

"So how was your hot date then? Did he live up to your expectations?" Draco asked and Hermione had to stop herself from grinning. Her attitude had obviously bothered him and now he was fishing for information.

"Yes, it was good thanks. We're going out properly on Saturday," she said, casually.

"Properly?"

"Blaise is taking me out for a meal." Hermione kept her answer short but she did glance up at him.

"Well isn't that nice then?" Draco's answered, his voice heavy with sarcasm. "I'd better give you a key then because I have no intention of waiting up for you."

Hermione shook her head. "I won't be here then. I'm going back to my flat tomorrow." She hadn't decided this until two seconds ago but she'd rather risk being on her own than put up with being treated like this.

"No, you're not," Draco corrected her and then he surprised her by bending over and moving her legs so he could sit down next to her. She stared at him for a moment.

"Yes, I am. I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself."

"After we've registered the completed potion you can look after yourself to your heart's content. Until then, I have a vested interest so you'll be staying here." Draco didn't even look at her as he said this and Hermione could have slapped his pretty face. She was about to launch into a tirade when she remembered that she actually owed him a large amount of money and she was also his house guest so she toned it down a bit.

"How about you tell me the problem? We're going to spend a large amount of time together so it's going to be a lot easier if we can be honest with each other." She put her magazine down and turned to him.

"Who said there's a problem?" Draco shrugged, annoying her even more.

"You're giving me the cold shoulder," Hermione said, gazing at him directly, almost challenging him to deny it. Draco met her gaze equally as directly.

"After seven years at Hogwarts with me I would have thought you would have been used to that. Stop being a drama queen, you're imagining things. I'm not Potter, he might have sucked up to you but I won't." He didn't turn away and she glared at him.

"We're not at Hogwarts any longer and Harry did not suck up to me! Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about," Hermione turned away from him and folded her arms. "Listen, let's just keep this to business from now on. I'll leave first thing tomorrow so just let me know when you need me for the potion." Draco didn't answer immediately and Hermione knew he was still staring at her.

"You keep threatening that as if I'm bothered!" Draco said. "I've told you to stay here but if you're waiting for me to beg or something you're going to be disappointed."

"Beg? Of course I don't want you to beg! Now you're being ridiculous!" Hermione stood up, deciding it would be best if she went to bed. "All this just because I went for a drink with your friend for Merlin's sake!"

"What are you talking about?" Draco stood as well and Hermione stepped back from him because so their height difference wasn't so noticeable. "I couldn't care less who you have a drink with or anything else for that matter! You can shag half of Diagon Alley for all I care!"

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him and pointed her finger. "Who the hell do you think you are? How dare you speak to me like that! I'm not one of your empty headed bimbos!" She stepped forward again and poked him in the chest, her anger making her say things she wouldn't normally. "It's funny how your sudden change of mood coincided with my date with Blaise!" She instantly regretted saying this as it made her sound big headed and she didn't really believe he was jealous.

"Huh!" Draco shook his head. "Get you! Last time I looked you were still Hermione Granger, the bookworm still lurks beneath, you don't fool me! So don't start thinking you something you're not!"

"Well as we're throwing personal insults you're still Draco bloody Malfoy with his head so far up his own arse he can't see what's right in front of his face!"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You're with some girl because of your business, for Merlin's sake! What sort of person commits to a lifelong relationship for that reason?" Hermione knew this was below the belt as he'd told her this in confidence but she couldn't stop the words spilling from her. "I'll leave first thing tomorrow."

"If you're so keen to go then why wait until tomorrow? Shall I fetch your case?" Draco bit back at her, his face pink with anger.

"Fine by me!" Hermione stomped across the large room towards her bedroom. She threw her clothes into her case carelessly, feeling upset but keeping her emotions in as best she could. She zipped up her case and grabbed her coat before heading towards the door. She didn't glance in Draco's direction as she entered the lounge as she could feel the tears threatening. She heard him moving but didn't realize he was approaching her until he was suddenly in her way, blocking the path to the door. She sighed loudly and rolled her eyes. "Just let me past! We obviously can't work together or anything else so I want to go now."

Draco grabbed her case from her before speaking. "I can't let you go, it's not safe."

"You just offered to fetch my case!"

"I didn't mean it. You were winding me up." Draco shrugged again, obviously uncomfortable with his admission.

"I'll put some protection spells up and keep my wand by the bed. Don't worry you'll get your potion mixed and registered!" Hermione couldn't help throwing this at him. Despite their heated argument she knew that the potion wasn't the only reason he wanted her to be kept safe. At least she hoped it wasn't!

"I don't care about that!" Draco said and then he actually looked slightly surprised at his own words. They stared at each other for a moment, Hermione conducting an internal debate. What a ridiculous argument about nothing at all!

"Of course you care about the potion!" Hermione said. "Why do you always have to pretend you don't care when you quite obviously do!"

They both stopped speaking for a moment and Hermione bit her lip as the double meaning of her words sank in. She saw Draco's eyes darken and then he looked down at the floor and she watched him, waiting for his reaction.

"It's hard to show that you care about things when you're heads up your own arse," Draco said in a quiet voice and she saw his lips curve a little at the edges. Despite herself, Hermione couldn't help but be amused by his answer. He looked up at her from under his lashes, assessing her reaction.

"I maybe shouldn't have said that..." Hermione acknowledged and she received a little smile in return.

Draco shrugged. "Well, my Diagon Alley comment was probably unnecessary..." he bit his lip, the same way Hermione did and she felt her anger quickly slipping.

"Just a bit...," Hermione sighed. "It's your apartment, if you want to be a grumpy git then I should just mind my own business and let you get on with it."

Draco now looked up at her properly. "A grumpy git? How is it your apology somehow involves insulting me?"

Hermione bit her lip again but this time it was to keep a chuckle in. She hadn't meant to insult him but somehow she had managed it. "Sorry."

Draco held her case up in the air. "Am I putting this back in your bedroom?" he asked, quietly.

Hermione stared at her case for a moment and then surprised herself with her reply. "Do you want to?" She was then surprised even further by Draco's instant and emphatic response.

"Yes." His eyes held hers unashamedly and Hermione knew she wasn't going anywhere so she nodded and reached out to take the case from him.

"I'll take it back and unpack it..." she said.

**Aaah! They managed to make up! Keep reading next chapter up soon...x**


	20. Best intentions

It was busy at the shop the next day and Hermione decided to go straight home so she had some time to herself before she met Blaise and Draco later. Hermione had stopped at Draco's last night but had insisted that she had to go back to her flat from now on. Draco hadn't been very happy but he had given in and Hermione suspected he had agreed because he didn't want to start another argument. So she spent a couple of hours sorting out her flat before apparating back to Draco's office building. Only Blaise was in the office when she arrived and he greeted her with a grin.

"Hey, Hermione," he said. He held out a container showing her the thick, silver liquid and Hermione gasped.

"It's totally mixed!" Hermione said. "How did you manage that?"

"It was that anti-clockwise stirring that you mentioned. I alternated it with the clockwise and it worked!" Blaise chuckled at their joint cleverness.

"Fantastic!"

"Now all we need is the Blue Violet...Draco was going to speak to you about that..." he hesitated a little and Hermione stared at him.

"Where is he?" she asked.

"Err...he's a bit under the weather so he's gone straight home," Blaise turned away, replacing the container and Hermione frowned. She really couldn't imagine Draco letting anything other than a serious illness stop him working on the potion.

"What is it really?" she asked and Blaise turned to look at her. He put his head to one side and then reached over and grabbed a Newspaper.

"Here, front page and then page 5."

Hermione gazed at the front page. It wasn't the main headline but on the right hand side was a column of writing and at the bottom a picture of Draco and Astoria smiling and holding hands. The column headline read – MALFOY ENTERPRISES ENTREPENEUR ANNOUNCES ENGAGEMENT TO ASTORIA GREENGRASS. Underneath was a sub-heading which read – A PERFECT MATCH BOTH PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY. Hermione glanced up at Blaise who pulled a face.

"The announcement is on page 5 but I think the headline is a little more publicity than Draco was going for. I think he was hoping it would be a little more discreet," Blaise explained.

"So he's hiding out? What's the point in that?" Hermione asked. "Is he planning on walking down the aisle with a mask on or something? He is on the most eligible bachelor list; he can hardly expect this news to be kept quiet."

"It's not that, he's not hiding out..." Blaise hesitated again and Hermione looked at him questioningly. Blaise sighed before continuing. "He'll probably kill me for telling you this..."

Hermione raised her hands. "Oh no - don't tell me then." She wanted to know, of course but she didn't want Blaise feeling that he had to tell her all of Draco's feelings.

"No...It's okay," Blaise shook his head. "He was upset earlier, he cancelled a meeting and...well I've never seen him like it..."

"Like what?" Hermione couldn't imagine Draco upset about anything. Angry, rude, in a mood but not upset.

"He was genuinely upset, Hermione. Distraught! It's like reality has finally hit him that in two months time he's going to be married to a women he doesn't love...I actually thought he might pull out o it!"

"Two months!" Hermione felt a strange little feeling. Draco would be married that quickly? Imagine feeling so miserable about what was supposed to be the happiest day of your life. "What a mess! He can't do it, Blaise! We have to try and stop him."

"Impossible. Once Draco's made up his mind that's it, nothing will persuade him out of it."

"But it's so stupid and such a waste!"

"He knows that..."

Hermione bit her tongue and tried to concentrate on the potion. She and Blaise mixed it three times to make sure it was absolutely correct and it worked every time. Eventually Blaise apparated home with her and said goodnight. Any other time she would have asked him in but her mind was on Draco, sitting alone at home feeling miserable and she didn't feel like having company. She wandered around her flat aimlessly, annoyed at herself for being so distracted by Draco Malfoy! He was a grown up after all and she was sure he wouldn't be worried about her should the situation be reversed.

Nevertheless, ten minutes later she found herself outside his apartment door with an overnight bag. Her courage left her a little as she went to knock on the door but she forced herself. A few moments went by and Hermione was about to knock again when the door opened and she was greeted by a tall, dark woman.

"Can I help you?" the woman asked, surveying Hermione. "Why didn't the concierge buzz?"

"Because he knows who I am," Hermione answered, automatically then she stopped realizing she was answering to some unknown woman. "Is Draco in?"

The woman laughed making Hermione stared at her. What was funny? "Are you a fan? How did you get his address?"

"A fan!" Hermione said, incredulously and then she heard Draco's voice.

"What are you doing? Who is it?"

"It's a fan..." the woman turned towards Draco's voice and that was when Hermione realized that she was only half dressed. She had on a kind of short, red petticoat and a cleavage producing bra. Hermione felt her stomach drop because as she managed to add two and two together, Draco appeared at the door, bare-chested. His bored expression changed the moment he saw Hermione and he spoke quietly to the woman who gave Hermione another scathing look before she disappeared and Draco took her place.

"Hermione! What is it? What's happened?" Draco asked and he sounded concerned but Hermione noticed that she wasn't being invited in. She cringed at the whole situation because she'd come here thinking that Draco would be...what was the word Blaise had used? Distraught! Huh! And here he was obviously enjoying...Hermione stopped her train of thought. "Hermione?" Draco asked again and then she saw him glance down at her overnight bag. She kicked herself for not hiding it before she knocked.

"Err...there's nothing wrong...everything's fine..." she began but Draco interrupted her.

"You're standing outside my door with an overnight bag so you don't really expect me to believe that do you?" Draco asked. His voice held none of its usual confidence and he looked extremely uncomfortable.

"I think it's a misunderstanding..." Hermione picked her bag up and turned to leave. "I'm so very sorry for interrupting...I should have checked..."

"Wait!" Draco stepped out into the corridor and Hermione found herself face to chest with him. She was already embarrassed enough without having to stare at him half naked so it took all her willpower to stop herself blushing.

"No! I'm going and I'm really sorry..."

Draco grabbed her arm and she turned back to him. "Hermione? I won't let you leave without telling me why you're here."

Hermione sighed and decided to be as truthful as she could. "It was just that Blaise had to explain why you weren't at the lab tonight and he said you'd been upset..." her voice trailed off as Draco's expression changed to one she couldn't fathom. "I thought you might like some company...but obviously you managed to sort that out quite nicely on your own..." There was a hint of irony in her voice and she sighed. "Anyway, your lady friend is probably wondering what's going on so just go back in and I'll see you tomorrow."

Draco didn't answer her and he still had the expression that she couldn't read on his face. She looked away from his gaze but this just meant she was staring at his naked body so she shuffled uncomfortably. After a moment Draco let go of her arm. "Wait here."

"What? No! I'm going...I should go..." Hermione protested but Draco ignored her and went back into his apartment. Hermione stared after him for a moment before turning and walking towards the lift. Before she got half way down the hall the apartment door opened again and the woman appeared again, this time fully dressed. She glared at Hermione viciously but said nothing, brushing past her, knocking Hermione's bag from her hand. She pressed the lift button and stepped inside without another glance and Hermione turned to see Draco standing at his apartment door, this time with a shirt on, even if it was half open. Hermione knew her astonishment must have been plastered all over her face but she couldn't help it. Had Draco just sent his lady friend away? Because of her?

"It's bloody cold out here, come on," Draco said and Hermione gulped. Bloody hell! She walked slowly back to him and he waited until she was close before taking her bag off her. He went straight towards the bedrooms and was back two minutes later, minus her bag. Hermione stood still in the middle of the room, feeling about as awkward as she had ever felt. Not only had she barged in on Draco in a compromising position but she'd also confessed that she was here because she was worried about him! Draco had joined her by the sofas and he put his head to one side.

"You're here now, you may as well relax," he said, indicating that she should take a seat. She sat down heavily and rubbed her head.

"I'm so sorry! I feel like a complete idiot!" she closed her eyes for a minute. "You must feel like strangling me!"

"Actually that has been true on many occasions but right now it isn't," Draco said and she looked up at him to find him staring at her.

"What about your..." she was going to say girlfriend but he already had a fiancée so that wasn't the right word. "Did she know you're engaged?" Hermione asked as her thoughts fell into place and then she realized she sounded accusing. "Sorry, it's really all none of my business is it?"

"That doesn't usually stop you interfering," Draco said and he smirked at her. "Yes, she knows I'm engaged, no she doesn't care and if I remember her name tomorrow it'll be a miracle, so I really wouldn't worry about her."

Hermione tried to not look too shocked but wasn't sure she succeeded. "Nevertheless, I didn't expect you to send her away."

"Yeh, well you did me a favour. It would have been a stupid mistake. Another one!" Draco leant forward and rubbed his forehead and for the first time since she arrived, Hermione became aware of Draco being upset. He seemed on edge and she had a flash of comprehension as to why he had invited some strange woman to his flat. He was drowning his sorrows but in a Draco Malfoy sort of way, of course!

"It's still not too late," Hermione said quietly.

"Yes it is! I don't want to talk about it." He stood up. "Do you want a drink? I intend on having a bucket full."

"No...thanks," Hermione watched him, sadly as he poured himself a shot of something and downed it in one, before pouring another. She stood up and walked over to him putting her hand on his arm to stop him drinking the second glass. "Draco..." she started to say but the look in his eyes stopped her and he then spoke, quietly.

"Did you really come here to keep me company?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes, stupid me!" She kept her answer simple, not wishing to talk about it in too much depth.

"Thanks." Draco's voice was barely above a whisper and Hermione couldn't drag her eyes from his. This was the closest she'd been to him and she felt something she would never have imagined feeling in a million years. She felt a connection to him, a mutual understanding and she also felt a warmth radiating from Draco. He'd said thanks and she knew he was actually grateful, his whole body was projecting it towards her.

Hermione took a step backwards and coughed. "I hope you're not expecting me to carry on where your lady friend left off..." she joked indicating his open shirt. She said it partly to cover her embarrassment and partly to relieve the tension. She was relieved to see the familiar smirk return to Draco's face.

"I presumed that was why you were here," he said. "I need distracting from all my problems."

"How about a nice cup of tea?" Hermione joked again and Draco chuckled. "See! You feel better already! That's the first time you've smiled since I got here."

**Mmmm...so what did you think of that then? Hope you enjoyed this chapter...a little review would make me a happy! x**


	21. Stolen

Hermione awoke suddenly, aware of a lot of noise. She sat up in bed and wondered where she was for a moment until she remembered she was at Draco's. She heard raised voices and scrambled out of bed. When she opened the bedroom door the lights were all on and she had to shield her eyes. She entered the living room to find Draco, Blaise and two men she didn't recognize standing around.

"What's the matter?" she asked. Blaise turned to look at her, startled and she saw a strange look pass across his face. She glanced over at Draco who was in his robe and realized that she was wearing only her pyjamas. She couldn't blame Blaise for jumping to conclusions. Before she could speak to him, Draco was answering her.

"There's been a break in at the lab. They've stolen all of the potion you and Blaise made earlier along with the recipe."

"You kept the recipe with the potion?" Hermione asked in a disbelieving voice.

"Yeh, thanks for pointing out our stupidity," Draco said, his frustration obviously not aimed at Hermione but at himself.

"How did they get in?" Hermione asked the next obvious question and this time Blaise answered.

"They had a key."

"A key? How? Is it someone who works there?"

"Only Draco and I have a key to the lab, Hermione," Blaise walked over to her and she stared at him taking in his words. "Someone must have made a copy but I really don't know how."

"And what about the magical protection?"

"We don't know how they got past that." Blaise was staring at her and Hermione knew that although he was answering her questions he was wondering what was going on. She stepped closer and lowered her voice.

"It's not what you think. I'm in the guest room, I'll tell you the whole tale later."

Blaise nodded and walked back over to Draco. "Get dressed, let's go and have a look ourselves."

"Ooh! I'll come too," Hermione offered but they shook their heads at her.

"No." Draco's answer was to the point.

"Why not?"

"Just to be on the safe side," he said and started heading towards his room so Hermione stepped in his way.

"Will you stop treating me like a precious little Princess! I've fought Lord Voldemort for Merlin's sake! I'm a better witch than you are a wizard and I'm perfectly capable of defending myself and you if you need me too!" she spoke firmly and looked at him challengingly. After a moment his face broke into a grin.

"Okay! Keep your knickers on! You can come."

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

The lab was a mess with equipment and ingredients spread across the floor. Draco looked upset as he examined the devastation, picking up items as he walked around the room.

"You have another copy of the recipe don't you?" Hermione asked and Blaise nodded then glanced at Draco. Hermione glanced over at Draco as well and he shrugged. Hermione frowned. "Don't you?"

Blaise tapped his head with his finger. "Yeh, right here."

"What?" Hermione exclaimed. "In your head? Are you joking?"

"No he's not. We thought it best that we only had one copy," Draco said and Hermione groaned.

"She thinks we're stupid," Blaise commented and he nudged Hermione's shoulder playfully.

"You are stupid!" Hermione said, only half joining in with his joke. "I mean – only one copy of the recipe and stored at the lab!" She stood up suddenly and both Blaise and Draco stopped what they were doing and looked at her. "So, someone else has the recipe and the trial mixture. We need to remember the recipe," she looked at Blaise who cringed, "and re-make it. We need to do it fast because if whoever broke in here manages to get it mixed before us then it will become theirs. We have no proof it's your idea so the race is on!" Blaise and Draco both remained silent and Hermione moved towards Blaise. "Tomorrow you come back here and work on the recipe and mixture."

Blaise saluted her mockingly but smiled. "Does this mean our date is off?" he asked.

Hermione nodded. "I'm afraid so...just postponed..."

She moved over to Draco. "You and I are going to get some Blue Violet by whatever means necessary."

Draco raised his eyebrows at her. "By whatever means necessary?" he asked and Hermione nodded.

"Yes. We need that ingredient by this time tomorrow so if we have to brake a few rules then so be it!"

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

It was early afternoon and Draco was at Hermione's shop. She had taken the unusual decision to close at lunch time so that she and Draco would have time to work out how they were going to get some Blue Violet quickly. Hermione had a huge pile of books open in front of her and she had been contacting her suppliers all day. She had a legal way to obtain some as her license allowed her to purchase a small quantity of the prohibited ingredient. However she would have to disclose what it was going to be used for and the authority to buy it meant completing forms and waiting for authorisation. They hadn't got time for this so she had to move on to plan B.

As morally upstanding as she was, Hermione still knew how to get her hands on certain ingredients by less than official methods. Her contacts had contacts and although she'd never used this line of supply she knew it was available. So she'd buried her morals and contacted one of her less scrupulous suppliers who had given her the name of her another contact who she had arranged to meet this afternoon. They were just leaving to meet him when she noticed Draco was staring at her.

"What? Why are you staring at me?" Hermione asked.

"You just never cease to amaze me," Draco said. "Here we are about to meet some low life who will give us the details of another low life who we can buy an illegal ingredient from! All arranged by Hermione "best pupil at Hogwarts" Granger!"

"Yeh, well this is a one-off. Don't expect me to make a habit of this!" Hermione said. "Come on or we'll be late."

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

They were meeting in a small street that lead of Diagon Alley and as they moved away from the main street it seemed very quiet.

"This is a bit creepy," Draco commented.

"Put your hood up," Hermione said and he did as she asked. They stood around nervously for a few minutes but no-one arrived.

"Is this a no-show?" Draco asked but Hermione shook her head and pointed towards an approaching figure. The man was stocky and short with an almost bald head. He approached them casually, seemingly comfortable with this strange meeting.

"Greenway?" he asked using the false name Hermione had told him so Hermione nodded. He handed her a piece of parchment. "It's all arranged for this evening. Knockturn Alley, 11pm by the Black Wizard's statue. Make sure you have the right payment and keep it discreet, okay?"

Hermione nodded and took the parchment, slipping it into her cloak. "Who is it I'll be meeting?"

"Don't worry, he'll find you," the man answered and without another word he turned and disappeared back down the alley. Hermione turned to Draco who looked as astonished as she was.

"We have to go to Knockturn Alley! Do these things really happen? I thought it was all made up!" he said.

Hermione leant against the wall, pushing her hood off. "What the hell am I doing? If I get caught I'll lose my license and the shop!"

"You can still back out. I'll meet him later, you can step away from it," Draco offered.

"No, it's me they've arranged to meet. They won't deal with you," Hermione said. She glanced over at Draco. "Don't panic I'm just having a moment! This isn't exactly what I normally do on a Saturday night."

"Don't you? I'm always meeting dodgy men down dark alleys myself!" Draco joked and they both laughed.

**Thank you for the reviews...next chapter up soon and Draco makes a little confession...x**


	22. An unplanned chat

Hermione looked herself and Draco up and down and giggled. It wasn't funny really but they were both dressed, head to toe in black.

"What's funny?" Draco asked.

"We are! Just look at us! We look like we're going to rob a bank!" Hermione giggled again, partly due to nerves. She glanced at the time, "there's still an hour to go."

"Maybe you could have squeezed in your date with Blaise!" Draco said. "A quick snog in between one meeting in a dark alley and the next!"

"It wasn't really a date..." Hermione didn't know what made her say this because it was a date, Blaise had made that obvious.

"Like I'm not really engaged?" Draco asked and he rolled his eyes at her. "I'll still be married in two months whether it's real or not and you will have still snogged Blaise if you'd met him."

Hermione suddenly lent forward in her chair. "Draco! If we manage to pull this off and register this new potion then can't you just stop producing the potion from Astoria's father? Or get the ingredients somewhere else, even if you pay more? It won't be as important if this new potion is a hit!"

Draco narrowed his eyes at her. "Well, on paper that is exactly right. My business doesn't rely on Greengrass."

"So?"

"I told you, it's not just about that now. It's about Astoria! If I leave her now she'll have to face her father and deal with all the consequences alone and I won't do that to her."

"It would blow over! She could dump you - that would allow her to keep her dignity..."

"Thanks for that! What about my dignity?" Draco asked.

"You can't do this..." Hermione saw the stubborn look on Draco's face and broke off mid-sentence. "There you go again, looking like that!"

"Like what exactly?"

"Stubborn and pig headed! There are ways out of this; you're just not willing to consider them!"

"And why are you so concerned? I would have thought you'd get a sense of satisfaction that I'm committing myself to a life of misery! Payback!" Draco glared at her and she glared back.

"I hope you're joking! Of course I don't want you to be miserable!" Hermione bit her lip and Draco's face softened.

"You do that all the time...bite your lip," he said. "It's a pity we didn't meet again a year ago; then I wouldn't be in this mess."

Hermione frowned. "What do you mean? What difference would that have made?"

"I would have never agreed to marry Astoria if you'd been around," Draco said this in a matter of fact tone but Hermione stared at him, astonished. He realized she was staring at him and explained further. "I mean you make me see things differently..."

"How?" Hermione asked quietly, her heart racing at his implications.

"It's the whole Gryffindor, loyalty and integrity thing. You do it without even thinking and it makes me look at everything differently. I mean, the other night I sent a woman home! A woman who was about to have sex with me! Just because you turned up at my door looking all needy and concerned...and quite obviously not willing to have sex with me!" Draco stopped speaking and looked down at his hands, looking nervous. "How did we get onto this subject?" he asked.

Hermione was grinning at him. "I'm glad I've finally made you see the error of your ways!" she said. "And I'm sorry but I need a bit of emotion along with the sex..." she bit her lip and then realized she was doing it and they both laughed.

"Yeh, well you've got more than a bit of emotion from me...more than anyone else has managed to get for a long time," Draco said this quietly and Hermione stopped laughing and stared at him. Draco would never say anything this personal directly but she could read between the lines and if she was correct, he'd just said that he liked her.

"Why? What do you mean?" Hermione asked, her voice also quiet.

Draco's eyes were on her face but they never met her gaze directly. "Oh, you don't want to know...let's just say once bitten, twice shy. I learnt the hard way what the consequences of being generous with your emotions can be and I won't let that happen again."

"You're wrong, I do want to know," Hermione said.

"Why? You really can't be that interested in my past."

"Well, that's the point isn't it?" Hermione said. "I know your past and now I know your present. I can also have a pretty good guess at your future but I'm missing a big chunk. And from the sound of it, it's an important part."

"I don't know everything about you," Draco pointed out and Hermione knew he was stalling, deciding if he should tell her.

"What would you like to know?" Hermione gave a little smirk because she definitely had the advantage. There wasn't a lot that Draco didn't know already so she didn't care what he asked her.

"Was Joshua your first boyfriend after Weasley?" Draco asked and he managed a smirk as well.

"Really? That's what you want to know?" Hermione asked, her voice conveying her puzzlement that this would be his question.

"Nah...I'm just trying to get to the thing I really want to know..." Draco said and he ran his hand through his hair, causing Hermione to stare at it for a moment.

Hermione frowned. "Why do I have a feeling I'm not going to enjoy answering you? But go on and ask me anyway."

Draco chuckled. "If Weasley came begging at your door tomorrow would you consider having him back?"

"What? No! Good grief, of course I wouldn't!" Hermione look disgusted. "It was a school thing, it didn't last more than a few months. We're just friends and that's how it should be."

"And what about Joshua, what if he came begging?"

Hermione shook her head. "Why are you asking me this? But that is even more of a no than Ron! He's acted like a total arse and I really can't see why I liked him so definitely no."

"Krum?" Draco prompted her then laughed at the look on her face.

"Victor? Are you joking?"

"Yeh, I was joking about him actually." Draco confirmed. "So you've never had your heart broken then?"

Hermione gaped at him, totally astonished by his question. "Errr...no, I suppose I haven't," she mumbled.

"Good, I hope you never do," Draco said and Hermione watched as he appeared to come out of his reverie. "You and Blaise?..." Draco left the sentence open ended.

"There isn't a me and Blaise. A quick drink one evening hardly constitutes a relationship," Hermione said. She felt her pulse quicken as the tone of the conversation changed. Was Draco asking what she thought he was? She realized he was talking again.

"What about two meals, you trying to strip me, a couple of sleepovers, a few arguments and a planned evening engaging in an illegal activity together? Does that constitute a relationship?" Draco asked, his face was open and he was smiling gently but Hermione was pretty certain that she wasn't imaging things. Was he flirting with her? Hinting that they might have become more than friends? She stared at him dumbstruck, unable to think how to answer him. Draco coughed self consciously and Hermione realized that her continued silence was making him feel uncomfortable. He'd just thrown his emotions out there (well as much as Draco Malfoy would ever do) and she was just staring at him like an idiot.

Hermione felt her nerves kicking in and she hurried her answer. "It definitely qualifies as a friendship," she said and before Draco could answer she added, "but there has to be kissing for it to fall in the relationship category..." She had added this as a joke but she saw Draco's eyebrows shoot up in surprise. He cleared his throat.

"Is that an invitation?" he asked but before Hermione could answer the large clock in the corner of the shop began to chime.

"Oh my goodness! Have you seen the time? Hurry up or we're going to be late," Hermione said, glad to escape before she had to answer Draco's last question.

**Okay, so Draco didn't confess an awful lot but I'm sure you are all working out what might have happened to him. Hope you liked it...a bit of action next chapter...x**


	23. Weird and wonderful

**I have to say a big thank you to all my reviewers. Anyone who has posted a story will know just how nice it is to get a review and how great it is if people like your story. Chelsizzle, Misti D, 4Snowwolf, Principi Phantasia, Sugarquills007, edwardsoneandonlylove, Flubbery flobberworms, Slytherinprincess1314, jodieannweasley,leafysummers, lingo10, alicemaybrandonjones – special thanks and I had to mention you all as most of you have reviewed every one of my stories, sometimes every chapter and I recognize your names! If I've missed anyone then very sorry and thanks anyway! ...see ya at the bottom...**

It was very dark, the alley was quiet and to add to the general atmosphere it was raining heavily. Draco and Hermione stood huddled together, looking anything but inconspicuous hanging around by the statue. Hermione was shivering because of the rain and because she was nervous. She felt Draco's hand touch her arm and she glanced up to see a tall figure approaching. Her heart was thumping in her chest and she pulled her cloak tightly around her.

The man stopped a few feet away and called them towards him with his hand. As soon as they stepped towards him he turned and started walking down a side street and reluctantly Hermione and Draco followed him. He walked a few feet then turned again, down an even narrower alleyway and Hermione began to feel panic rising.

The man stopped and turned to face them and when Hermione felt Draco's arm slip around her waist she didn't mind at all. "Do you have the gold?" The man's voice was surprisingly smooth and pleasant and not at all what Hermione had been expecting.

"Do you have the item?" Draco directed the question straight back at him.

"Yes but I need to see the gold."

"I need to see the item." Draco stood his ground and Hermione watched the man as he reached into his pocket. It took her a moment to realize that he had actually reached into his cloak to get his wand. He stepped forward and pointed it at Draco's throat.

"No gold, no supply. Simple. Now give me the money." The voice wasn't quite as smooth now and Hermione felt Draco tense behind her. Draco, sensing the mood had changed, reached in and withdrew the gold, wrapped in some cloth. He held it out and the man snatched it from him and examined it.

"It's all there, now give us the ingredient..." Hermione was annoyed at herself for being so pathetic. She got her wand out and the man moved his own wand away from Draco towards her. He withdrew a small package from his pocket and waved it at them. "Follow me," he said and he turned again and started to walk off.

"No!" Hermione almost shouted now and she shook Draco's arm off and ran down the alley. She grabbed the man's arm and he lunged at her. She was thrown against the wall with a thud and she gasped as her breath was knocked out of her. She heard Draco cry out and a flash of light lit up the alleyway as a spell flew past her. The man had dodged Draco's spell but he aimed one back that skimmed the walls. Hermione took the opportunity to grab his wrist, trying to make him release the package but he was too strong and his fingers wouldn't move. He aimed another spell at Draco who only just managed to get out of the way before the man shoved Hermione again and this time she fell to the ground, unable to do anything against his greater strength.

"Get out of the way!" Draco yelled at her and he aimed a spell again but the large man was surprisingly agile and he jumped to the side just in time. He was concentrating on Draco and his hand was right next to Hermione's face, his fingers relaxed as he raised his wand in his other hand. Hermione snatched the packet and jumped to her feet, running towards Draco at full speed.

"I've got it! Come on!" Hermione yelled and they ran up the alleyway, streaks of light following them as the man ran after them. He was quick and Hermione glanced round anxiously seeing him getting closer. She noticed a gate to the left and made a grab for it. It opened so she dragged Draco with her hoping desperately this wouldn't be a dead end. They were in a large courtyard but Hermione couldn't see any other doors or gates and she heard the footsteps getting louder.

"Quick, in here," Draco said and she was pulled to the right into a smaller yard which was filled to barrels. They each crouched behind a barrel and Hermione held her breath. She could here movement in the larger courtyard and suddenly Draco grabbed her arm and pulled her right up against him.

"Don't let go," he instructed in her ear and the next moment she felt the squeezing, breath taking sensation of apparating. They both fell to the floor and Hermione was completely relieved to see the increasingly familiar inside of Draco's apartment. Draco leaned towards her.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm fine," she waved the package at him. "And I've got it!"

They opened the package together on the floor to reveal a slightly unimpressive blue powder.

"Not exactly overwhelming to look at, is it?" Draco said. "But it is the key to everything."

Hermione got to her feet, suddenly aware that they were both soaked to the skin. She slipped her cloak off and stared down at herself and the small puddle that had gathered at her feet. Draco took his cloak off too and then began unbuttoning his shirt. Hermione tried to ignore him and got out her wand, aiming at herself awkwardly and using the hot air spell. Her outer clothes felt dry but Hermione could tell that her underclothes hadn't dried properly and when she looked down at herself again she realized she was covered in the fine blue powder which must have been on her hands and had stuck to her wet clothing.

"I need to go home and change," she said, looking over at Draco who had removed his shirt and was heading towards the kitchen. He turned and looked at her.

"Didn't you bring any clothes?" he asked.

"No. Why would I bring clothes? I didn't know I'd come back here, I thought I was going home," Hermione said. She touched her hair which was damp and felt disgusting. "I feel revolting and I'm covered in Blue Violet so shall I meet you early tomorrow at the lab. I'll get Ginny to cover for me again?"

Draco dropped his wet clothes by the kitchen door and then walked back over to her. She tried her best to keep her head up and her eyes pinned firmly to his face so that she didn't look at his bare chest. He seemed oblivious to her discomfort and approached her quickly.

"You should stay here tonight," he said. "It's late and it's been a long night. It will be horrible going back to an empty flat."

"I can't stay, I'm dirty and I feel horrible," Hermione said again. "Plus, I haven't any clothes with me."

"You left some clothes in the wardrobe," Draco said. "Wait here."

He disappeared down the corridor and Hermione watched him go feeling puzzled. He seemed so keen for her to stay and if she was honest that was exactly what she wanted to do. The thought of her cold, dark flat made her shiver. The rain was still pelting down against Draco's large windows and it was warm and cosy in here. Draco re-appeared wearing a shirt, still open to his waist and carrying several items of clothing. He threw them at her one by one and she tried to catch them awkwardly.

"Here's a blouse and some trousers..." Draco waved them about, then threw them at her before holding up a final item of clothing. "And here's one of my shirts, it will be fine as a nightdress for you."

Hermione looked at it in disgust. "You are joking! I'll look like a..." she stopped speaking, realizing that she would be insulting half of Draco's ex girlfriends who had probably revelled in the fact they were wearing his shirt to sleep in.

"Like a what?" Draco asked.

"I'll look ridiculous," Hermione answered.

"You'll be in bed! No-one's asking you to parade around in it!" Draco smirked, obviously enjoying her discomfort.

Hermione folded her arms stubbornly. "I don't have any clean underwear." she said this defiantly to cover her embarrassment. Even Draco wouldn't have an answer to this one.

"I'll wash what you're wearing," he said and wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"You will not!" Hermione snapped at him. "I'm going home." She started to grab her clothes, trying her best to look dignified but failing miserably. She then felt Draco's hand on her arm and she turned to look at him, ready to snap and then stopped. His eyes were deep grey and they were staring at her. He then said just one word but it made her stop in her tracks and stare at him.

"Stay."

She wondered how he had made one word make her go into complete meltdown, but he had. There was so much emotion in that one syllable that he couldn't have made it any clearer how much he wanted her to stay with him, had he written a ten page essay on the subject. She couldn't drag her eyes from his and she licked her lips because they felt dry. She was suddenly aware of everything about him, as if someone had flicked a switch and he seemed suddenly taller, his hair blonder, his eyes more startling. Neither of them had spoken and Hermione was afraid to break the silence because she didn't want to stop looking at him, drinking him in. Finally, she took a deep breath and slowly nodded.

"Okay." Her voice sounded breathless and it surprised her. Draco was still staring at her intently and she had to swallow a couple of times because her throat felt dry. She took a shuddering breath, trying to get a hold of her rapidly escalating heart rate. "I'll need to shower..."

"Of course," Draco said his eyes finally leaving hers and he waved her towards the bathroom. As she got to the door his voice came to her again. "If you need your back scrubbing just give me a shout."

She ignored him and stepped inside, closing the door and then leaning against it, her head spinning. What just happened? He didn't do anything, he just said one word! So why did she feel like something had happened between them? Hermione closed her eyes and tried to remember just how annoying and frustrating Draco Malfoy was but it made no difference because each time she tried all she could see behind her lids were those, deep grey and smouldering eyes.

**So just how much more sexual tension can we all take? Its fun though isn't it? Now they have the powder but there's still lots more to sort out...r...e...v...i...e...w...p...l...e...a...s...e...x**


	24. More weird and wonderful

She buttoned up Draco's shirt feeling the fabric which was much softer and luxurious than any normal shirt. She turned and looked at herself in the mirror. Well, it wasn't indecent or anything but she definitely wouldn't feel comfortable walking around the apartment in it. She then noticed a robe hanging on the back of the door so she went over to it and tried it on. It smelled of Draco and it was big so she rolled the sleeves up and tightened the belt. She now looked slightly ridiculous but she felt more comfortable. Draco looked up when she entered the lounge and his eyes took in his robe.

"Isn't it usual to ask before you borrow something?" he asked.

"It's just your robe," Hermione said, taking the seat opposite him.

"Yes, MY robe. Hence the need to ask to borrow it!"

Hermione stood up and began undoing the belt. "You're the one who insisted I stay here when I hadn't any clothes with me! But if you're so bothered, here – have it back!" She flung the robe at him, leaving her standing in just his shirt. Draco caught the robe and then blatantly looked her up and down. His eyebrows shot up and Hermione felt the urge to run out of the room because he had never looked at her like this before.

"Well, you've certainly made my shirt look good..." Draco said and to Hermione's complete and total astonishment, he blushed and looked away. She gaped at him in bewilderment because never, in a million years would she ever have imagined Draco Malfoy blushing when he paid a girl a compliment. And never in a million years would she have expected Draco Malfoy to say anything remotely resembling that to her! His embarrassed reaction showed he must have felt as strange giving the compliment to her as she did on receiving it. He then stood up, picking up the robe and approached her making Hermione's heart start to race. What was happening here tonight? Draco moved really close to Hermione and then he put his arms around her back. She was about step away when she realized he was placing the robe back around her shoulders.

"Put the robe back on, I was don't mind you wearing it, I was only joking," his voice was right next to her ear, his breath on her hair and Hermione felt her eyes close involuntarily. It was then that she noticed he hadn't moved away and he wasn't moving now, they were just standing there. She felt Draco's hand move from her shoulder where he had placed the robe and gently, hesitantly downwards, over her shoulder blade and onto her back. Hermione gulped but tried to hide it, not wanting to show that she'd noticed anything. His movement could just have been part of him putting the robe on her but really she knew it wasn't and this made her feel light headed. She shivered and she felt Draco's arm tighten just very slightly.

"Are you cold?" he asked, his voice still by her ear.

"Errr..." Hermione couldn't answer him because she honestly didn't know if she was cold or hot or anything else. Her senses were in turmoil. Draco's other hand had slipped to her waist and he pulled his robe tightly around her, pulling her closer to him. Hermione couldn't take a breath because all her escalating emotions seemed to be stuck in her throat. Why had she never thought this way about Draco and why was she now? She'd stopped hating him, of course, in fact she really liked him and he was attractive but she had no idea that he could make her feel like this. Joshua had never made her feel like this. And it wasn't just about Draco being an incredibly sexy man that was pulling her close to him because his seductive moves were tinged with a delicacy and intimacy and she felt cared for. Draco didn't seem to be waiting for her to answer him because he had now wrapped his arms around her, pulling her up against him and Hermione found her hands on his chest. And then suddenly she realized he was leaning his face towards her, his eyes on her lips and she thought she might faint on the spot. Was Draco Malfoy about to kiss her? KISS HER? Oh god!

And then at the last minute Draco pulled away, he stepped backwards hurriedly, turning his back on her and running his hand through his hair. She stared at his back, not sure what was happening. Draco stayed turned away from her but she could tell he was agitated. She was about to speak when he beat her to it.

"I can't do this..." he said, almost to himself and Hermione frowned.

"What do you mean? I didn't..." she began but Draco spun round and faced her. He was pale and his eyes were darting around.

"No, you didn't," he cut her off, abruptly and she felt ridiculously upset. His toned changed, his next words kinder. "It's been a long day, it might be best if we got some rest."

Hermione nodded because she didn't know what else to do. She pulled Draco's robe around her, trying to maintain her almost non-existent dignity. Draco nodded his head and turned again, without another word, leaving her alone in the room. She stared after him, her thoughts racing before sitting heavily on the sofa. She felt as if Draco had lead the entire series of events this evening and she had just been a passenger, swept along by him. And yet somehow, he had made her feel like she had done something wrong. She hadn't even wanted to stay here tonight! He'd been leaning in to kiss her not the other way around! She sat back and put her head on the sofa. Had he really been leaning in to kiss her? Was she dreaming? And what would she had done if he'd carried on leaning in? She didn't remember being in any hurry to escape!

And what had he meant – he couldn't do this? Do what? Kiss her? And unexpectedly, her thoughts seem to fall into place, like building bricks. It was obvious, he had meant he couldn't continue their friendship! If that was what it was! His sudden exit was because he didn't want to get close to anyone again, in whatever capacity. What had he said? Something about once bitten, twice shy and that he wouldn't let it happen again. Was that what he thought was happening between them?

Hermione rubbed her head, not quite believing tonight's events or that Draco might actually like her in anyway other than friendship. And then Hermione's stubborn, decisive personality kicked in and she was standing up and walking towards Draco's bedroom. With only one seconds hesitation she banged on the door, loudly and she didn't even flinch when Draco opened it, dressed in nothing but a pair of boxers.

"We need to talk," she said and Draco narrowed his eyes.

"It's late."

"I don't care...we need to talk," Hermione repeated and she stood her ground. He was going to tell her about what happened to him if she had to stand here all night. Suddenly, it seemed imperative that she knew. She had been expecting another protest from him, or possibly him stepping out of his room, so she was taken completely by surprise when he grabbed her arm and pulled her into his room. He put his arm around her to push the door shut and then he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her with him across the room towards his bed.

"What are you doing?" Hermione started to protest.

"It's the middle of the night," Draco said, lifting her onto his bed. "If you're so keen on a little chat then we'll be doing it in here..."

Hermione, who was now perched, awkwardly on the large bed felt her initial bravery deserting her. What had she done?

**Next chapter up soon...x**


	25. Finally opening up

**Oooh I liked writing this on...**

Hermione watched as Draco climbed onto the bed, stretching his legs out in front of him. He swept his hand around in front of him.

"Talk away...I'm all ears!"

"Errr.." Hermione didn't know how to start but it was too late to be hesitant now, she'd already started the ball rolling so she squared her shoulders and cleared her throat. It was no use beating around the bush; she just needed to say it. "Who broke your heart and how?" She wasn't sure what reaction she had expected from Draco but it wasn't the one she got. He burst out laughing and shook his head.

"Really?" he spluttered. "That's what you want to talk about, right now?" He stopped laughing but still gave a little chuckle. "I just love the way you're not afraid to ask me anything! You just come straight out with it!" He leant forward. "Why do you want to know?"

"You said...just...you said – I can't do this..."Hermione didn't complete her sentence but she could see that Draco knew what she was getting at. He leant back again and sighed.

"It's not a great bedtime story, Hermione. It'll probably give you nightmares."

"I don't care, I need to know and I think you need to tell someone."

Draco stared at her and then he lowered his voice and then he said a name. "Pansy. It was Pansy.

"Pansy Parkinson broke your heart? But everyone knew the relationship was one sided! How can she have broken your heart?" Hermione was shocked.

"It was one sided, all through school and then after we left for a long while. I didn't care about her but she was happy to follow me around, playing loyal girlfriend, enjoying some of the high life. And to be honest, it sometimes suited me not be single. It helped with the business, made me look respectable instead of just some rich playboy who was playing games with Daddy's money," Draco looked over at her. "Totally shallow of me, I know, but I did look after her...I just didn't love her." Hermione didn't interrupt so he continued. "Anyway, we eventually split up. I can't remember how it happened or who dumped who but there were no big arguments or anything. We both dated other people and I'd still see her around a lot. So I was single and I got to play around a bit," Draco shrugged. "I'm not exactly making myself sound great am I?"

"Not exactly, but go on."

"Anyway, I had my fun and it was fun. I can see now that it was probably cruel, the way I went from one girl to another but it was what lots of us were doing. I then started to get fed up with it, the business was expanding and the endless partying wasn't good for me and I wasn't enjoying it." Draco rolled his eyes. "Sometimes, I actually wanted to just talk to a woman, about something other than fashion or the weather. Sometimes I wanted them to stop just gazing at me and agreeing with everything I said and I actually wanted them to have an opinion and even disagree or argue with me."

"Why do you keep moaning when I do that then?" Hermione asked with a small smile and Draco smiled back.

"Anyway, I'm at this business dinner and who's there but Pansy and somehow we got talking and for the first time I actually enjoyed her company. She seemed to have matured and we talked about school and our families and it was good. So, we were back on and this time I was hooked. It was great, a proper relationship, an equal partnership," Draco paused and his tone changed a little. "At least that's what I thought. And then, one day she announces she's pregnant and after the initial shock I actually felt quite happy, so I asked her to marry me."

"Oh god!" Hermione said. She hadn't been expecting this.

"So here I was, Draco Malfoy, raised in the ultimate dysfunctional family home about to get married and have a family of his own. I was happy and content and looking forward to the future."

"Oh god," Hermione repeated but this time it wasn't an exclamation but a sound full of dread. She had no idea what was coming next but she knew she wasn't going to like it.

Draco took a deep breath and Hermione could see it was still painful for him to repeat all this. "So, she's about 8 months pregnant and I come home one day to a note. Three lines – I've left you, I'm with someone else and we will be bringing up the baby."

"Oh Draco!"

Draco coughed and wiped his forehead. "So, as you can imagine, I'm not willing to accept this. No-one else is going to be allowed to bring up my child! It hurt like hell what Pansy had done but she was carrying my baby! My flesh and blood! So I found out where she'd gone and who she was with."

"Who?"

"One of my staff and a supposed friend. Theodore Nott ring any bells?"

"Oh Merlin! Yes!"

"Evidently they'd been seeing each other from almost straight after she came back. She just wanted to marry me and then leave me, taking a nice little settlement. Getting pregnant changed her plans and she left before the marriage part. So I go over to his flat and try to talk to her. I was reasonable, I just wanted some guarantee about the baby but she was awful, just telling me I'd have to pay towards looking after the child's upkeep..." Draco stopped speaking and Hermione had a twinge of guilt.

"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have pushed you to tell me this," she said.

"Yes you should! I've never told anyone the complete story, start to finish this way and you're right, I do need to..."

"Okay."

Draco sniffed. "So, I'm fighting for my rights and she has the baby...and I try to go and see her and she won't let me..." Hermione felt tears running down her cheeks and wiped them away. This was awful! She wanted to go and grab Pansy around the throat right now. "So, I still haven't seen the baby but I'm at the Lawyers trying to sort it out and believe it or not arranging to pay her some money when he points out that I don't actually know if the baby is mine and that before I hand over any cash, I should get a test done. I couldn't believe I'd just taken her word for it! I mean, how stupid! Anyway, you can probably guess the rest..."

"The baby wasn't yours?"

"No and it wasn't Theo's either so they broke up."

"Bloody hell!" Hermione gasped. "What a total, utter, bitch!" She then put her hand to her mouth as a thought struck her. "Oh! You don't still have feeling for her, do you? Despite everything."

"Of course not! Your description was spot on, she is a total and utter bitch. And she left me a mess, I felt like I'd been an idiot, falling for her! I should have known better than that. But I also felt like I'd lost the baby, even though I knew it wasn't mine, it had been mine for 8 months...I'd brought stuff..." He hesitated. "If you ever tell anyone about what I'm about to show you..."

"Are you joking? Of course I won't!" Hermione said. Draco reached over and grabbed something from behind the bed. He threw it at Hermione. It was a brown and cream little stuffed bear and Hermione stared at it.

"It must have been so awful," she said. "How could she do that to anyone, letting them get attached to the baby?"

"I told you it would give you nightmares," Draco pointed out, replacing the bear.

"I'm so sorry, Draco." Hermione sniffed. "And I'm sorry for pushing you to tell me."

"Just keep it to yourself."

"Of course."

They stared at one another and Hermione only took a second to decide to lean towards him and pull him into a hug. He didn't hesitate in returning it and they sat together, holding each other in silence for a long time. Eventually Hermione pulled away.

"I should go to bed..." She went to move but Draco still had one arm around her. He put his cheek on hers, his lips right next to her ear again before he repeated the one word that had started all this earlier. "Stay."

Hermione felt her head spin again but when he gently pulled her down onto the bed she made no protest. And when he pulled the cover over them, she knew she wasn't going anywhere because their conversation tonight had changed things and she knew Draco needed her. He slipped his arm around her before moving close so they were pressed together. Within five minutes they were both asleep.

**I apologize if this didn't end up as you were imagining but I just don't think that either of them would be ready to do anything naughty yet. I thought this was more romantic and it showed just how much they are beginning to think of each other. Hope it was good...let me know with a review. x**


	26. Dumped

Hermione woke and for a minute wondered where she was. She then became aware of Draco, still pressed against her, his arm thrown around her waist and she felt a strange, warm feeling. Not only did this feel totally amazing, his body up against hers, his comforting warmth making her feel incredible but their conversation from last night was running in her head. What he'd told her had been shocking but it was the fact that he'd been willing to tell her and show her the teddy had made a little tingle run through her. She was always annoyed that he wouldn't tell her things or let her in and so him telling her such intimate things made her feel happy.

Draco murmured and shuffled a little but Hermione just kept perfectly still, not wanting their embrace to end. It was the strangest feeling to suddenly realize that she actually wanted to be this close to Draco and she wanted them to be able to talk about anything. When did that happen, had it just gradually crept up on her? Draco moved again, stretching as he awoke. Hermione felt her stomach do a little flip and desperately hoped that Draco wasn't going to be upset about last night.

"Good morning." Draco's voice sounded sleepy. Hermione wiggled free and turned to face him which was a mistake because there he was, still ruffled from sleep, bare-chested and just about the sexiest thing Hermione had ever seen. "So, did the earth move for you?" Draco asked with a smirk and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I know we didn't do anything, I wasn't drunk." A thought suddenly hit her and she scrambled out of bed. "Bloody hell! What time is it? I'll be late for the shop!" She felt Draco grab her arm and she tried to shake him off. "I'm not kidding, Draco. I've already had a load of time off..."

"Hermione, it's Sunday."

Hermione stopped in her tracks and stared at him. "Oh." She looked down at herself and then over at Draco still in bed and it suddenly struck her just how intimate a situation this was. She picked up Draco's robe from the end of the bed. "I should go anyway..." Before she could move any further Draco grabbed her wrist and pulled her back towards him.

"What's the rush?" he sat up, the cover slipping revealing his body and he pulled her back towards the bed.

"Draco!" Hermione protested. "I can't, it's not right..."

"I'm not asking you to do anything except have a lie in!" Draco said, ignoring her protests and using his superior strength to grab her and pull her back into the soft, warm bed. She still struggled.

"No, I can't. You're engaged and I've just spent the whole night in bed with you half undressed!" Hermione sighed and then gave him a little, shy smile. "I'm not complaining."

Draco rewarded her with a devastating grin. "I should hope not! I've never had a complaint before," and he chuckled and despite herself Hermione also giggled.

"Oh my god! You never stop do you?" Hermione said. She made a concerted effort and got away from him. "Seriously, how did I end up spending all night in your bed? You even said last night that you couldn't do anything, that we couldn't do anything." She tied the robe around her. "So I'm going to get dressed and then I think it would be a good idea if I went home."

"You came and knocked on my bedroom door, remember?" Draco answered smirking at her.

"I was showing concern for you, that's all," Hermione bit her lip and they both grinned at each other. "We needed to talk." Draco opened his mouth to reply but was stopped by a loud knocking at the door. Hermione gasped, looking down at herself. "Oh my god! Who's that?"

Draco slipped out of bed, still only dressed in his boxers. "I'll go and find out but it's probably best if I wear my robe..."

Hermione looked down at the robe in horror. "I can't take it off! What if they come in here?"

The door knocked loudly again and Hermione jumped.

"Will you calm down!" Draco said, trying to almost forcibly extracting her from his robe. "I don't know how things work in your home but visitors don't generally invite themselves into my bedroom. Now give me the robe before they break the door down."

Hermione handed his robe to him sulkily and he put it on and went to answer the door. Hermione looked around for something else to put on and saw Draco's thick jumper on the back of a chair. She slipped it on and almost giggled at how big it seemed. She then went over to the bedroom door and opened it a fraction. She was instantly reminded of the last time she had listened at a door. The day that Draco had first came to her shop. Had that really been the same man she had just spent the night with? She heard Draco's voice.

"Astoria?"

"I need to talk to you. I've been up all night..." Hermione heard Astoria's voice and it was high pitched, she was obviously upset. Hermione felt her heart sink, Astoria so upset that she had to come to Draco's apartment early on a Sunday morning really couldn't be good. And the one person who might actually and quite legitimately barge into Draco's bedroom was Astoria. Hermione stepped back from the door for just a moment as a question popped into her head and it was one she really didn't want to think about. One she didn't have any right to ask but Draco and Astoria were engaged so had they...? Hermione glanced over at the bed and then quickly turned away. They must have, of course...Draco's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Why? What's happened?"

"It's William. He's asked me to marry him..." Astoria gave a little sob and through the crack, Hermione saw Draco put his arm around her shoulder. "I'm so sorry...I love him and I don't care what Father wants. I can't marry you, Draco."

"Bloody hell, Astoria!"

"I'm sorry...I know it will spoil your plans. I should have told you before we announced our engagement how serious it was getting but William had agreed to go along with our arrangement. But now he can't and I don't blame him so he's asking me to marry him and make it all official and that's what I want to do. I'm so sorry, I'll try and emphasise that it isn't your choice to Father."

"I don't care about that! I care that he's going to kill you!" Draco said and Hermione saw him pull her into a hug. Hermione felt a small twinge of an emotion she had no right to feel then she quashed it because they were just friends.

"I know! He is going to kill me but I don't care. I've already made arrangements to leave so he won't be able to throw me out."

"I'll give you some money." Draco offered.

"No. I have some of my own that Father can't touch," she stepped back from Draco and Hermione saw her squeeze his arm. "I do care about you..."

"I know that," Draco said. "I care about you too. You're my partner in crime!"

"This is okay with you, isn't it?" Astoria asked. "I mean you're not upset..."

Draco put his hands on her shoulders. "Of course it is!" he paused for a moment. "I was thinking about pulling out but I didn't want to leave you having to deal with your Father."

"Really? You're not just saying it?" Hermione heard her chuckle. "Stop looking at me as if that was a stupid question."

"It was a stupid question," Draco said. "So what are you going to do now? Does he already know?"

"No. I'm going to tell him now." Hermione could hear the apprehension in Astoria's voice.

"I'll come with you," Draco offered.

"No. William is going to come with me, you need to play the devastated, dumped boyfriend. That way you might still get your deal."

"I told you I don't care about that," Draco repeated. Hermione saw Astoria squeeze his arm again and then step away from him.

"I'm sorry. Thank you for making this easy...I promise I'll be in touch..." Hermione heard Astoria's voice break and for some inexplicable reason she felt a lump in her throat. This was good news, actually this was great news on lot of levels but it didn't alter the fact that Draco and Astoria had obviously become friends during all of this and that Astoria was going to have to do something unpleasant and upsetting. Hermione closed the door and went to sit back on the bed. It was just a few minutes later when Draco came back in, his face pale.

"I heard," Hermione said, before he started to speak and he nodded at her. He came over and joined her on the bed.

"That was horrible," he said and Hermione just nodded.

"Are you really okay with it?" she asked and then she rubbed her head, embarrassed. Despite her asking the question casually it made it just a little too obvious that his answer was important to her. Draco looked at her from under his lashes.

"Definitely, she's done me a huge favour," he said and Hermione blushed at his implication. "I just don't like to think of her facing her Father. He's a tough, old git."

"I know, I'm sorry..." Hermione said. She slid off the bed again. "I'll go and get dressed."

"Is that my jumper?" Draco asked and she looked down at it before looking back over at him.

"Yes, I was cold, it was on the chair," Hermione answered.

"Well, just for the record you don't make that item of my clothing look good..." Draco smirked at her.

"I know! I look ridiculous! I really, really need to get some of my own clothes!"

"Yes. Go and pack a case..." Draco said, also standing.

"What? Haven't we had this conversation before, several times?" Hermione asked. "I meant I need to go home and stay there!"

"Why?"

"Because that's where I live!"

"But it's still not safe and it's easier when you're stopping here," Draco replied. He then grinned wickedly at her and she looked at him suspiciously. "I've just realized that I have just became a single man again! Young, free and single!"

"Oh no!" Hermione said, only half joking. "I really do need to leave now."

She walked towards the door and she heard Draco chuckling behind her. She turned and looked at him. "So tonight then..." he said and he nodded his head at the bed. "You can't have a hissy fit about it being inappropriate now."

"Yes I can! Tonight I'm going home," Hermione answered and she put her hand on the door handle. She then stopped, feeling she should say something about last night. She turned back towards him. "Thanks for telling me everything last night. I'm sorry if I pushed you into it."

"You did but I'm glad," Draco said. "I'll see you at the lab after lunch, I have a feeling I might be having a conversation with Greengrass anytime soon. We have a potion to mix! Then we can argue about where you are going to stay until all this is over!"

**So, Astoria is out of the picture...next chapter it's time to mix the potion and then Draco has an invitation for Hermione. Thanks for the great reviews and the PM's. x**


	27. Testing the potion

The potion was ready to have the final ingredient added and the three of them stood round it like anxious parents.

"Two pinches..." Blaise instructed Draco who was holding the Blue Violet. Draco added the two pinches of the blue powder which required no stirring and they all watched the pot as the contents changed from silver to purple. Blaise looked at Hermione. "You don't think we should have gone with three pinches?"

"No, two will be fine," she answered. "So who's going to try it?"

Blaise stared at Draco who stared back. Blaise pointed at his friend. "You're the owner of the company, you can."

Draco shook his head. "You're the inventor, you should try it first."

"No. I need to monitor the affect it has," Blaise said.

Hermione sighed loudly and grabbed a spoon. "I'll try it."

"No! It should be Draco or I, we need to make sure it's safe," Blaise insisted.

"So why is it okay for your or Draco to test the safety but not me?"

"We've dragged you into this, that's why," Blaise said but Draco put his hand on his friends arm and smirked.

"What is it that you really require, Hermione?" he asked and she rolled her eyes at him.

"What I require, is a bucket load of cash and hopefully this Potion will make that happen without me having to take one drop of it!" Hermione grinned at the boys who both grinned back. "But I want to reach that bottle on the top shelf, so for now, I simply require to be taller."

"I could just get it down for you," Blaise joked and she hit him on the arm. She reached into the pot and filled the spoon with the thick liquid. It didn't look particularly appetizing but she was sure she'd taken worse things so she quickly took the whole spoon in one gulp. They all stood and stared at her and for a moment nothing happened then suddenly she felt a strange stretching sensation and the desk seemed lower.

"Merlin, it's working!" Blaise said, grinning at her. Hermione looked slightly apprehensive, wondering just how much taller she might become but after a few seconds it stopped. She walked over to the shelf and reached up easily to get the bottle, turning to face the others with a grin. As she did so she instantly felt a squashing sensation and within a few seconds she was back to her normal height.

"Why did it wear off so quickly?" Hermione asked, walking over to Blaise who was checking the list of ingredients.

"Yeh, sorry. I should have told you I added the Pimpleplum skin because it combines with the Hanging Weeds to reverse the requirement as soon as it's fulfilled," Blaise said. "I wasn't sure about it but it worked beautifully."

"But wouldn't it be better if Hermione was able to stay tall until the potion wore off?" Draco asked.

"The problem with that is that as the potion leaves your system the effects gradually wear off, so in this case, Hermione would gradually get smaller and smaller over a few hours. I thought this was would be better, once you've done what you require it's gone and you can then take some more to do something else if you need to," Blaise looked up at them.

"I love it!" Hermione said. "It's a good idea." She handed the spoon to Draco who stared at it, slightly nervously. "Your turn."

Draco looked at the mixture. "I could ask it to make every woman who meets me fancy me but that already happens so there'd be no point."

Hermione groaned. "Oh please!"

Draco grinned at her. "I have the perfect test for this, actually. We're going to need lots of this Blue Violet and once the Potion is approved, we will be allowed to buy it in large quantities. That is right isn't it, Hermione?"

She nodded. "Yes, as long as the Potion is approved we'll be given special permission."

Draco continued. "Well, it's expensive stuff but I have a contact who knows a French business man who sells it at the best rates. But he's cautious who he deals with because if it gets used in something dodgy, it can come back and ruin him as well. So, I need to meet him as if by chance, not making it obvious that I need him to supply me. That way he can get to know me a little and hopefully when I do broach the subject he'll be agreeable."

"Great!" Blaise said enthusiastically. "So where does the Blue Violet come in then? Are you going to tell it you require to be nice so that he likes you? There's no way you can be nice without it." He smirked at his friend who pulled a face at him.

"Very funny, Zabini. Actually I will require it to allow me to speak fluent French. Hopefully, if I can speak to him in his own language it'll impress him. He speaks very good English of course, but it's just a little touch so that I make a good impression," Draco turned to Hermione. "You could take it as well, then we can both speak to him in French."

Hermione stared at him. "What do you mean? Why do I need to be there?"

"Because he's holding a huge celebratory ball in a next week, something to do with his company trading for 20 years. I intend to go and introduce myself and I'll need a date," Draco answered in a matter of fact way, presuming that Hermione would agree.

"Why me? Wouldn't you be better taking some glamorous model or something?" she asked.

"No, you know all about the potion so we can both talk to him," Draco paused. "Anyway, I want to take you."

Suddenly there was silence in the room as Draco realized what he'd said, Hermione felt embarrassed and Blaise watched with interest. Blaise spoke first, he ignored Draco's last statement and instructed him to take the potion.

"So, take it then, let's see if it works."

Draco took the spoonful of mixture and they all waited again. He then opened his mouth to speak and the words were French. Not speaking a single word of French, Hermione couldn't be absolutely sure but they sounded French.

"Ce gout degoutant!" Draco looked surprised at his own voice. "Mais il a travaille. Est-il bon son?"

Blaise and Hermione stared at Draco in bewilderment.

"We can't understand you," Hermione said. "Can't you speak in English as well?"

"Non," Draco answered and they all laughed, everyone understanding that word perfectly well.

"You'll have to remember to ask to be able to speak both languages next time," Blaise said. He grabbed the spoon. "I have an idea. I'll tell it that I require to translate French to English!" He took the spoonful and Hermione chuckled, this was amusing.

"Go on then Draco, say something," Blaise said.

"Comment puis-je arreter de parler cette langue connerie?"

Hermione didn't understand a word but Draco's tone conveyed his feelings on the matter. Blaise chuckled and Hermione nudged him.

"What did he say? What's funny?" she asked.

"He said – How do I stop speaking this bloody stupid language?" Blaise said and Hermione giggled.

"What did you say you required to speak it for?" she asked. "You'll stop speaking it as soon as your requirement is fulfilled."

"Je n'ai pas je l'ai dit que je devais etre capable de parler couramment le francais!"

Blaise laughed again and translated. "He said – I didn't, I just told it that I needed to be able to speak fluent French." Hermione laughed as well but Draco didn't look happy. Unfortunately the look on his face just made Blaise and Hermione laugh even more.

"Looks like you're speaking French till the potion wears off then," Blaise said.

"Quoi! Je ne peux pas parler comme ca pendant des heures!"

Blaise didn't translate but his reply let Hermione guess what Draco had said, something like not wanting to speak French until the potion wore off.

"Sorry, you're going to have to. I least I can translate for you. Hermione should take some potion too so that she can translate as well then you'll just have to avoid anyone else for a few hours."

"Ridicule! J'ai l'air ridicule!"

"Yes, you do sound pretty ridiculous," Blaise confirmed with a smirk. Hermione was biting her lip, trying not to laugh.

"Tell him he sounds sexy," she said to Blaise but Draco jumped in, speaking straight back to her, as if she could understand him.

"Je peux vous comprendre! Il n'a pas besoin de moi pour traduire pour vous!"

Blaise laughed out loud now. "He said - I can understand you! He doesn't need me to translate for you!" Hermione joined in his laughter now, realizing what she had done and she saw Draco's mouth curve into a smile as he saw the funny side of his predicament.

"Je suis content qu'elle pense que je sons sexy, je pense qu'elle sonne tres sexy aussi," Draco said, looking at Hermione, his eyes sparkling.

Blaise glared at him. "I'm not translating that."

"Qui vous! Dites-lui!" Draco said, firmly glaring at Blaise who shook his head.

"Tell me!" Hermione said but Blaise just grabbed the spoon and handed it to her.

"Here, take some so you can hear him yourself," he said. "I quit as his translator."

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Draco had gone up to his office to fetch some more notes they had made about the Potion. Hermione looked over at Blaise who was bottling the potion.

"What did he say that you wouldn't tell me?" Hermione asked Blaise who shook his head.

"No way! I'm not encouraging him."

"Encouraging him? What do you mean?" Hermione asked. "Please! Tell me what he said!"

Blaise stared at her for a moment but he ignored her question and instead asked one of his own. "What's going on with you two?"

Hermione suddenly wished she hadn't lead the conversation round to this. "Nothing's going on."

"He's broken up with Astoria! That was set in stone I thought but just weeks after you're back on the scene it's all over." Blaise raised his eyebrows questioningly at her.

"That had nothing to do with me. She broke up with him! Anyway, I thought you'd be happy about them not getting married." Hermione sounded defensive but she couldn't help it.

"I am! And you're staying at his apartment again..."

"I'm going home tonight," Hermione said.

"That's not what he told me."

"Well I am!" Hermione insisted. "You're reading too much into everything."

Blaise stopped bottling the potion and looked over at her. "And you're ignoring what is right in front of your face."

"What?" she immediately wished she hadn't asked. This conversation needed to end right now.

"The little flirty comments and all the eye sex! I've been here all afternoon with you and you're both doing it!" Blaise said. "Look, I do like you Hermione but if you like Draco then that's fine. Really it is, it's not like we had even managed a date is it?"

"Eye sex!" Hermione fixated on just these two words. "We were not having eye sex!"

"Yep! You were."

"No!"

Blaise stood up and walked over to her. "Okay then. I want my date, the one that was postponed last night? How about tonight? Or tomorrow?" Hermione stared at him. She really didn't want to go on a date with him. She liked him but not like that and she suddenly saw what he was doing. He was pushing her so that she would admit to liking Draco. Did she like Draco? Had they been flirting? Blaise poked her arm. "Hey! Did I say that in French as well because you look blank?"

Hermione sighed, feeling really awful. "Look, Blaise I think it's best we leave that right now. With all this going on..." she indicated the potion but Blaise shook his head.

"That's really lame, Hermione."

Hermione stared at him realizing she needed to be honest, no matter how difficult it was. "Well, I suppose we have got close and...well I do like him...sort of..."

"Hurray!" Blaise said and slapped her on the back. "You made that really difficult, didn't you?"

"I don't want to mess you around."

"Well, you're not now you've told me the truth," Blaise said and he smiled at her. "Don't worry, I'm glad you're here messing with us! I'm glad Astoria's out of the picture and even if you won't admit it, it would have had something to do with you."

Hermione pulled him into a hug. "Thank you."

Blaise pulled back and sighed. "I think he really likes you."

Hermione shook her head. "No, we're just friends."

"He wants to take you to the Ball."

"That's just because of the potion," Hermione said, shaking her head.

"I'm glad she thinks I sound sexy, I think she's very sexy too," Blaise said and Hermione looked at him, bewildered.

"What are you on about?"

"That's what Draco said, the part I wouldn't translate – He said : I'm glad she thinks I sound sexy, I think she's very sexy too." Blaise put his head to one side in a 'told you so' way and Hermione bit her lip in her usual fashion.

"Oh," she said and Blaise grinned at her.

"That's shut you up, hasn't it?"

**Hee hee! That was a fun chapter, hope you liked it. So now they have a ball to attend...should be interesting! Oui? xxxx**


	28. Pretty woman

**Okay, I'll apologize in advance for this chapter being a bit cliche and overly fluffy but I have purposely always tried to avoid an over gushy or girlie chapter so I've allowed myself just this one and it does move the story along nicely. Anyway see you at the bottom...**

Hermione was distracted and she had been ever since her conversation with Blaise. She had just been taking one day at a time, wrapped up in all the complications with Joshua and the potion until Blaise had told her that he thought it was obvious that she and Draco had an attraction to each other.

Since then she'd spent a good few hours analysing and analysing again her interaction with Draco and what their conversations meant. The Draco she remembered from school and the Draco she was spending an increasing amount of time with now were so totally different to one another that she couldn't reconcile them in her head. She had presumed it was because Draco had matured but now she kept wondering if it was to do with how he treated her. He was kind, teasing, affectionate and now she was looking for it there was definitely some flirting.

She felt that familiar feeling as she thought this. The one where the butterflies in her stomach did a little dance. She'd managed to admit to herself that she liked him, even that she might be a tiny, little bit attracted to him. Sometimes it was a lot more than a little bit because as much as she'd spent years denying it, she had to admit that he was very attractive. He oozed sexiness and he held himself in that graceful, agile Malfoy way. And he only had to switch his charm on and he could pretty much persuade her into anything. Staying at his apartment for instance! She'd been there ever since Saturday night, almost a week ago and she was enjoying staying there. It was a great apartment, luxurious and comfortable and she enjoyed not being on her own. She and Draco were getting into a little routine, eating together, relaxing together which Hermione loved and was scared to death by at the same time. Luckily, she'd managed to sleep in her own bed though!

She rounded the next corner and walked heavily into the person coming the other way.

"Sorry!"

"Look where you're going, Granger!" Draco said, grabbing her so she didn't fall backwards. He grinned at her to take the sting out of his words. "This is it." Hermione's gaze followed where he was pointing to an elegant shop displaying ladies clothing and called Chic Fashions, for Witches with flair.

"It doesn't look like my kind of shop," Hermione said, looking at it nervously.

"Exactly why we are here!" Draco said indicating that she should follow him.

Hermione crossed her arms in front of her and stood her ground, refusing to follow him. "What is that supposed to mean? Are you insulting my dress sense?"

Draco walked back and grabbed her arm dragging her with him. "Stop being stroppy and hurry up."

Hermione let herself be dragged because she really did want to look inside the shop and she was actually looking forward to buying a dress for the ball. Or more correctly to Draco buying her a dress. She had her money with her and she was determined to pay something but by the look of this shop, she may need to let him pay some as well as he had insisted he would. She didn't like this, she liked to be self sufficient but she had agreed to it because she was attending the ball at Draco's request and she needed to look right.

The interior of the shop didn't disappoint. It oozed elegance and was full of the most amazingly beautiful dresses that Hermione had ever seen. The assistant approached as soon as they entered, she seemed to glide along silently.

"Mr Malfoy," she said, smiling warmly at Draco and Hermione stared at him. He'd been in here often enough for the assistant to recognize him and know his name?

"Good afternoon," Draco said. "This is Hermione Granger..."

"Really? The Hermione Granger?" The assistant lost her professional demeanour for a moment.

"Yes, the one and only." Draco confirmed and Hermione glared at him for his sarcasm.

"Well, it's an honour to meet you, Miss Granger. What sort of dress are you looking for?"

"Errr...it's for a ball," Hermione said. "Something elegant..."

"Of course! Please have a look around and then we can try some on. I'll also pick some out that I think would suit you."

Half an hour later Hermione was in the changing room, surrounded by dresses and feeling very bewildered. Draco was still waiting outside the changing room and she wasn't sure she liked that either. He might be paying for the dress but there was no way she would be parading around showing him each one! The assistant, who's name was Lisa, had given Hermione her undivided attention since they had arrived and Hermione wondered exactly how much money Draco had spent here to warrant this level of service.

"This one is lovely on you," Lisa was saying.

Hermione looked in the mirror and was surprisingly pleased with what she saw. The dress was gorgeous, in black, shoulderless and flowing to the floor. She did a little twirl and Lisa smiled at her.

"Would you like to go and show Mr Malfoy?" she asked.

"No." Hermione answered then realized she sounded rude. "No, I'd rather make my own mind up first."

"Of course," Lisa said but Hermione didn't miss her very slight disapproving tone.

"I'll show him the one I chose," Hermione offered, not that she wanted to, she just felt like she was being ungrateful.

She didn't like the next two dresses, one was bright red and didn't suit her and the other was too low cut and showed off too much flesh. Lisa handed her a turquoise dress that Hermione liked even before she put it on. She stepped into it, admiring the shimmering material that seemed to move like water. The turquoise was covered in a silver veil type material, very light and almost transparent but it made the dress shine and sparkle and gave it a unique appearance.

"I think this may be the one," Lisa said, straightening the skirt and Hermione didn't have to look in the mirror to agree. This dress felt right, it had thin straps and a tight bodice with intricate stitching. It then flowed, almost straight down but not quite over her legs and ended perfectly just above the floor. When she moved it shimmered and flowed around her and Hermione, who rarely got excited about clothes, knew she had to have it.

"It's amazing, I love it!"

"Mr Malfoy has to see you in this," Lisa instructed and gave Hermione a forceful push out of the changing room that didn't allow for argument. As soon as she stepped outside Hermione felt extremely self conscious but she did owe it to Draco to show him the dress he was paying for. She stepped around the corner and Draco was sitting on one of the sofas provided for exactly this occasion. He looked up, then he looked her up and down. He then stood up, came over, took her hands and made her do a twirl under his arm. Hermione giggled.

"What are you doing? We're in a shop!"

"I'm viewing the dress how it will look when you wear it!" Draco said. He looked her up and down again and Hermione shuffled self consciously.

"Do you like it?" she asked.

"Beautiful." Draco just said one word and his grey eyes locked with hers for a moment. Hermione looked down at the floor, not quite sure how to take the compliment. The single word was ambiguous and she couldn't tell if it was just aimed at her dress or at the person wearing it as well.

"Good, this is the one then," Hermione paused. "If that's okay?" She hated this, having to almost ask his permission but she swallowed her pride and did it anyway. This was more than her just looking good at the ball, this was about them creating the right impression as if they were couple and about her looking sophisticated and elegant.

"I told you, you pick the dress. I will pick up the bill," Draco said, he still hadn't moved his eyes from her face.

"I feel like a kept woman!" Hermione whispered then she gasped in horror. "No! Worse than that, I feel like your mistress!"

Draco laughed at her. "That's who Lisa thinks you are, the engagement hasn't been withdrawn officially yet. Everyone still thinks it's going ahead."

Hermione rolled her eyes at him. "Great, Draco! What if the fact that the one and only Hermione Granger," she repeated his words from earlier, "is reported to have been here having clothes brought for her by Draco Malfoy?"

"They're very discreet, don't worry."

Hermione shook her head at him and then went back to get changed. The dress was going to be delivered the day of the ball and Draco paid, leaving Hermione to hover around self consciously. She was glad to finally leave the shop. She forced herself to say thank you.

"I have to insist that you take this," she forced her money into his hand. "I know it doesn't cover the entire cost but at least I will have contributed."

Draco wouldn't take it, clenching his fist to stop her forcing it into his hand. "It's my treat, I don't need you to pay."

"But I want to," Hermione insisted. "It makes me feel better, less like a tart!"

"Nevertheless, I won't be taking it. Keep it," Draco said.

"But..."

"Hermione!" Draco stopped walking and sighed. "You owe me a very large amount of money. Why are you worrying about a dress?"

"But that's a loan...I mean a very generous one, but just a loan. This is...well it's..." Hermione struggled to find a suitable description so Draco finished the sentence for her.

"A gift," he said. Hermione narrowed her eyes at him before reaching up and shoving the roll of notes into his collar. She then took off at a pace and he struggled to remove it before following her. He caught her up and grabbed her shoulders. He then opened the top two buttons of her coat while she stared at him before inserting the roll of notes, unceremoniously down her cleavage. He then walked off leaving her writhing around in an undignified manner trying to retrieve them. Passers by were giving her strange looks and she glared at Draco who just chuckled.

**There you go, an overload of girlie mush! I've even described dresses which is something I always avoid doing as I'm sure it bores plenty of readers to tears! So back to normal next chapter, bit of action and a bit of romance...please review and thanks so much for the ones so far, this story has had loads which is great! x**


	29. Black eyes and kisses

Hermione had gone back to her shop and it was busy so she ended up serving until closing time. Ginny, who must have been wondering what Hermione was up to lately, had been very reserved and hadn't even tried to glean any information from her. Hermione knew she would eventually but after her little outburst she obviously was trying to cut Hermione some slack. Today Hermione had noticed that Ginny was developing a little bump and she had tapped it affectionately.

"So has Harry recovered from the shock?" she asked and Ginny nodded.

"Oh yes! He's as pleased as anything. And I feel a bit better!" Ginny beamed and Hermione gave her a quick hug.

After she had locked up she took her usual wander down a couple of streets. She'd stopped worrying about being attacked since the break in as they had obviously now got what they wanted so hopefully she would be left alone. She wondered how much longer they would have before the thieves managed to mix the potion. It wouldn't be long and they really needed to get their own potion sent off to be registered. Blaise was brewing it one last time tomorrow then taking it to the Registration Office himself.

She was about to apparate back to her own flat (she would go to Draco's later) when Hermione's attention was caught by two women sitting on a bench just a small distance away. They were talking; their heads close together and Hermione immediately recognized the one with her back to her. Pansy Parkinson! She'd recognize that hair anywhere. Hermione leant against the wall, a wave of anger washing over her and she took a deep breath trying to control it. She failed and without a single logical thought in her head, Hermione walked over to Pansy. As she approached the other woman sitting opposite Pansy, glanced up and on seeing Hermione she stood quickly and walked off. Hermione stared after her, wondering at her strange reaction. She was sure she didn't recognize her, though she did look slightly familiar but it had only been a quick glance. She realized that Pansy had stood too and was now glaring at her.

"Well, to what do I owe this pleasure?" Pansy asked, looking Hermione up and down. "You look a bit different than you did at school don't you?"

"Whereas you're still an ugly, pug face, rude and selfish bitch!" Hermione said, surprised at her own language.

Pansy's eyes darkened and she pointed her finger at Hermione, poking her in the shoulder. "So the bookworm has learnt some swear words has she? Why are you picking a fight on me, Mudblood?"

Hermione let the insult wash over her. She had more important things to get annoyed about. "You can call me what you like, it doesn't bother me. At least I have some respect for others, at least I know right from wrong."

"What are you talking about? Why don't you go back to your pathetic little excuse for a shop and bury yourself in whatever boring thing it is you do there?" Pansy snarled and leant forward slightly but Hermione hardly noticed as something had struck her.

"How do you know about my shop?"

Pansy's bravado seemed to slip a little. "I don't know! And I don't care...now leave me alone!"

Hermione was immediately suspicious again. A few seconds ago Pansy had been more than happy to continue their fight, now suddenly she was telling her to go? Pansy went to step away but Hermione grabbed her arm.

"Not so quick," she said. "Lost your fight all of a sudden?"

Pansy looked down at her hand in distaste before shaking her off. "I won't tell you again, you stinking Mudblood, leave me alone."

Hermione grabbed Pansy's arm hard making her cry out. "You know about the potion don't you?"

"What potion?" Pansy cried out again and tried to reach her wand but she couldn't. "Is it one to make you beautiful because it hasn't worked? You're still ugly. How could any man fancy that! Especially one like Draco Malfoy!" Pansy grabbed Hermione's hair then pulled it roughly bringing tears to her eyes. But Hermione was more concerned about what Pansy had just said.

"How do you know about Draco and me?" she asked, not caring what her words implied. "What did you expect him to do after you were such a bitch? Break down and never get over you!"

Pansy almost growled at Hermione. "So he's told you then? You two are getting chummy aren't you? Bet you're a disappointment to him in bed after me..."

With effort, Hermione ignored her insult and asked what she really wanted to know. "It's you, isn't it? You're something to do with the potion getting stolen!"

Pansy spat in Hermione's face and Hermione involuntarily loosened her grip on Pansy's arm allowing her to move away. The next thing Pansy had her wand directly in Hermione's face, her whole demeanour threatening.

"I'd keep your dirty nose out of this, Mudblood. And I'd keep your lips sealed, bad things can happen when people blab."

"Are you threatening me?" Hermione's anger meant she felt far braver than usual but it also meant her guard was down and before she realized what was happening she felt a huge surge of blinding pain hit her face and she collapsed to the floor. It was just moments before she sat up but Pansy was gone. Hermione stood up and felt her face. It hurt but there was no blood so she apparated without thinking, straight to Draco's apartment block. She rushed to the top floor, getting slightly strange looks from the doorman, before banging on Draco's apartment door. This time she didn't care if Draco had half a dozen naked women in there. She would throw them out herself, because she had to see him. Thankfully when Draco opened his door he was alone. His face turned to horror though as soon as he saw her and he dragged her in, closing the door.

"Is it bad? I can't tell," Hermione asked.

"Pretty bad. What happened?"

Hermione told him what had happened while he filled a bowl with water and made her sit down. He then soaked a cloth in the water.

"So you didn't recognize the other woman?" Draco asked. "Hold still, this will be cold."

Hermione gasped as he gently put the cloth on her swollen cheek and eye. "I thought she'd hexed me but now I'm thinking she actually punched me!"

"Yep. This is a punch! After I've sorted you out I will be going out to kill her, personally, with my own hands," Draco said, pressing the cloth again and Hermione moaned a little. "Why the hell did you tackle her on your own?" Draco asked.

"I just saw her and then I saw red...after the way she treated you..." Hermione said and she blinked rapidly with her good eye. Draco removed the cloth and stared at her.

"Are you telling me you approached her to have a go at her about what she did to me?" he asked.

Hermione gave a little shrug. "Yeh, she had no right to treat you like that. I couldn't help it, I just had to confront her and then when I did she immediately annoyed me, just as she did at school and I grabbed her arm and..."

"You grabbed her arm?" Draco interrupted.

"Yes and I made sure it hurt! You do remember me punching you when you annoyed me don't you? I can't help it."

Draco pulled a face. "Don't remind me!"

"So then I told her she was an ugly, selfish bitch..."

"You said that to her?" Draco asked then he laughed out loud as she nodded.

"But she knows stuff, Draco. As soon as I questioned how she knew about my shop she backed off and she knew about me and you. Ouch!" Hermione pulled away as Draco put the cold cloth onto her cheekbone.

"Keep still, this will stop it swelling. What did she say about us then?" Draco asked.

"She knew we were together...I mean she thought we were together..." Hermione corrected herself but she didn't miss Draco's expression. "I asked her how she knew but she just threw insults at me."

"So she knows or is presuming things that aren't public knowledge?" Draco asked, not needing an answer. "Could she really be involved with stealing the potion? I just can't see it being of any interest to her."

"Well, she's still very interested in your love life...she was outraged that you might be with me! Oh and evidently she was the best girl you've ever taken to bed and I couldn't possibly live up to her!" Hermione grinned and then stopped immediately because it hurt. Draco had screwed up his nose.

"I really don't want to discuss my love life with Pansy Parkinson with you but believe me you really do not and will never have anything to live up to."

Hermione widened her eyes. "Oh, and you're presuming that you'll ever get the chance to compare are you Mr Malfoy?"

Draco grinned as he realized what he'd implied but he didn't withdraw his statement. "You'll give into it eventually. I mean, you're putting up a good fight but you'll be overcome in the end."

"Overcome?" Hermione exclaimed. "Overcome with what? Nausea?"

"Lust." Draco answered and then chuckled at the look on her face. "But listen, don't go sticking up for me again, okay? You have a black eye but she could have done anything to you."

Hermione stood up and went to look in the mirror. "Merlin! It's awful. How am I going to explain this away?"

"Well thankfully we're those magical beings called Wizards," Draco said sarcastically. "Tomorrow, when all the bruising has come out, we can cover it up with magic. You could hardly turn up at the ball with a black eye!"

Hermione turned back to face him, her hand at her mouth. "Oh! I'd forgotten about that!"

"Good old magic, eh? Now you can go out on your date with Blaise looking gorgeous as always," Draco's voice was suddenly tinged with bitterness and Hermione realized that he was actually not happy at all about her dating Blaise and she was glad.

"I'm not going on a date with Blaise, I told him I didn't think it would work out," Hermione said, with the familiar biting of her lip and she saw Draco stop in his tracks and stare at her.

"Did you?" he asked and his voice was quiet, his eyes on her face giving her that tingling feeling that she was getting so often of late. Hermione had to clear her throat before she spoke because it felt like sandpaper, partly because they were standing so close, partly because of the look in Draco's eyes that was making her heart race and also because she really wanted to say the next few words but it took all her courage.

"It isn't Blaise who I want to be with..." she said, her voice just above a whisper. She didn't finish her sentence, not quite brave enough to complete it so she left it open ended. Draco's expression changed again as he let her words sink in. He reached out and gently touched her shoulders, holding her where she was and examining her face with his eyes.

"The day I walked into your shop, I thought I'd be lucky if I even got you to speak to me!" His eyes slipped down to her lips and she felt a thrill that shot through her whole body.

"You were lucky I spoke to you," she managed to say but the words came out breathless and didn't sound as she had intended. And then she did something without thinking, on instinct, something she didn't even know she wanted to do. She reached upwards, standing on her toes and placed her lips on Draco's. The night outside her flat came rushing back to her as Draco's lips immediately responded to her light touch, his hands slipping down her back. Their lips were pressed together but barely moving as if they were savouring the feel of each other. Hermione let Draco pull her close, against him and she willingly responded when Draco's lips moved more forcefully, melting slowly from a small, innocent touch to a more urgent and passionate kiss. Her lips opened and their kiss deepened further, Draco's hands on her hips, her hands on his chest and Hermione was beginning to get lost, her thoughts turning to mush. They both seemed to break away at the same time and Hermione stared at her former enemy, not quite believing what they had just done.

Draco's eyes were deep grey and without a word he took her hand in his and slowly walked from the lounge, leading her behind him. She followed him, her mind racing, half of her knowing she should protest and half of her really not wanting to in the slightest. She hesitated at his bedroom door and he turned around and gently pulled her inside.

"Draco...I can't...we shouldn't..." she stuttered.

Draco reached over and grabbed the shirt she'd worn the other night. It was washed and ironed and folded perfectly and Hermione stared at it, grasping his meaning.

"Just to sleep?" she asked and Draco smiled at her before nodding.

"Yes, Hermione. Just to sleep," he said. "I'll even turn my back while you change. I just want to be close to you."

His last few words made Hermione feel faint and she knew that it was becoming pointless denying or ignoring their feelings for each other because every hour they spent together they gathered momentum and grew and Hermione knew that she'd gone way past the point that she could stop it.

**Well, we've all been patient so I thought it was time something happened, just a little kiss and show of affection. Hope it went with the rest of the story and wasn't too rushed or happening too quickly. And as anyone who has read my other stories will know they won't be all loved up and gushing for long, they are Hermione and Draco after all! Sarcasm and arguments guaranteed! Let me know what you thought with a review. Thanks for all the reviews so far, I'm a lucky girl because I've had a lot and they've all been lovely. x**


	30. An unpleasant revelation

Hermione was sitting on the sofa by Draco's large windows. His apartment was becoming increasingly familiar to her and she no longer felt awkward spending so much time here, this morning was the exception though. Not only had she kissed Draco and he had kissed her back but then she had spent the night in his bed again. Admittedly fast asleep but whichever way you looked at it, it was an intimate situation and one you would never normally get into with someone who was just a friend. Even when Hermione had been in a relationship she sometimes hadn't been as close as she and Draco had become. She was having trouble comprehending that the person making her feel like this was Draco Malfoy!

Draco had been attentive this morning but he hadn't mentioned a single word about last night and she was grateful. She was currently scribbling notes on a sheet of paper about the potion, it's registration and the ball. She'd done some further investigation into Monsieur Durand and Draco had been correct. He was very particular about who he had business dealings with and they were going to have to be clever in order to manipulate him.

Draco emerged from his bedroom, carrying a dinner suit. "I'm going to have to get this dry cleaned," he mumbled to himself. Hermione groaned and he looked over at her. "What's the matter? Apart from the fact you look like a Panda of course!" Draco teased her Hermione touched her swollen face carefully.

"I know! It looks awful doesn't it? I was groaning because I have just realized that I am going to need my hair and make-up done for the ball!" Hermione sighed. "I don't think I can risk doing it myself, my last attempt was a disaster. Ginny usually helps me, it's her sort of thing."

"I'll pay for someone..." Draco answered but Hermione held up her hand to stop him.

"No you won't! And anyway, I really don't want to visit one of those fancy salons. I'll think of something else."

"Why don't you ask Ginny if she's helped you before?" Draco suggested.

"But I'd have to go back to my flat and get ready then come back here..."

"So ask Ginny to come here to help you." Draco hung his suit up and walked over to sit by her. "Or will she throw another temper tantrum like the one I witnessed just at the idea of being within a ten mile radius of me?"

"Probably..." Hermione said. "I'm not sure, she seems to have calmed down...I suppose I could ask?"

"Yeh, you should ask," Draco agreed.

"And you don't mind?"

"No – didn't I just suggest it?"

"And you'll behave?"

Draco pulled a face at her. "What do you mean? Of course I'll behave!"

"Okay, I will then."

Draco nodded and went to stand but Hermione grabbed his arm and he sat back down again, looking at her curiously.

"About last night..." Hermione said. "I just wanted to say that I hadn't been planning to do what I did..."

Draco twisted his lips. "Which was?"

"You know...I didn't mean to do it, it just sort of happened..." Hermione hesitated, not actually wanting to say the words.

Draco shook his head, seemingly uncomprehendingly. "Do what exactly, Hermione?"

She realized he was deliberately pretending to not know what she was talking about. "You know exactly what I mean! Don't make me say it!"

"Why not? Are you regretting it so much that you can't bear to say it?" Draco stood up and ran his hands through his hair.

"No!" Hermione exclaimed, not wanting to upset him. "Things are just getting complicated! I mean I'm practically living here and I spent last night in your bed again. This isn't how people usually act, Draco."

"No-one is forcing you to stay here or get in my bed!" He snapped at her and she saw the shutters come down. "Why don't you go back to your flat tonight? You should be safe now."

"If that's what you want then I will!" Hermione stood up as well, feeling annoyed at him. She was just trying to explain and somehow he'd turned it into an argument. She turned to walk away from him but stopped as he spoke.

"Of course it's not what I want, you stupid woman!" She spun back round, her hands on her hips. He was messing his hair up again with his hand and she tried not to stare at him. "I want you to go back to your flat, pack all your stuff, come back here and stay here. I don't care if you never go back to your flat! You're the one who keeps on about it!" Hermione slightly surprised by his outburst stared at him. He was right, he'd never once asked her to go home until 30 seconds ago and only then because she had goaded him into it. Before either of them could speak again the intercom buzzer sounded and they both stared over at it. It wasn't until it buzzed a second time that Draco walked over to answer it.

"Okay, send him up. Thank you." She heard Draco say and he replaced the handset before turning t her. "It's Blaise. He's got the potion ready for registration but he wants us to check it and he needs your signature and license number on the forms."

"I should go with him, it is under my name," Hermione said.

"No, there's no need. He's checked that he's allowed to do it," Draco said. "We need to do some investigating later. I want to know what Pansy is really up to and who's she's up to it with! I'll need you in case we see the woman she was with again."

The door knocked and Draco answered it to Blaise who entered carrying a large box and a wad of paperwork.

"Hey," he said, glancing at them both. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything?"

"Yeh, you are actually!" Draco replied and Hermione rolled her eyes at him.

"Good!" Blaise said with a grin and he winked at Hermione. "Merlin! That is one hell of a black eye you've got, Hermione! Draco wasn't exaggerating. Did she hurt you? I could bloody well kill her for all the trouble she's causing."

"No getting even with Pansy is definitely my privilege," Draco said.

"Yeh, I suppose it should be you who does it but watch that thug of a boyfriend of hers," Blaise acknowledged. "So, Hermione could you check this for me and sign these forms?"

The three of them sat around Draco' table checking everything before Blaise left to deliver it all to the Potion Registration Office.

"So how are we going to find out what Pansy is up to?" Hermione asked Draco. He waved a piece of parchment at her.

"This is her address so I thought we'd start there by doing a bit of spying!"

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

It was cold and overcast with grey clouds threatening to rain overhead. Pansy's house was small and old fashioned on a busy street. They had been watching it for over an hour when it began to drizzle a little.

"I think we might be wasting our time," Hermione said, shivering but instead of replying Draco grabbed her arm and nodded his head to indicate Pansy's house. Pansy and a huge man were leaving her house with a child of about five or six. Seeing this child now, it was obvious to whom he belonged. He was chubby and tall, with jet black hair. He definitely didn't belong to Draco.

"Blaise wasn't joking when he said her boyfriend was a thug!" Hermione whispered.

"His names Jack," Draco said, also in a whisper.

Pansy and Jack were kissing goodbye, a little too enthusiastically for Hermione's liking. Jack then went off in one direction with the young boy and Pansy in the other.

"Come on, we'll follow her," Draco said and the two of them followed her at a safe distance, staying on the other side of the street. Pansy was walking with a purpose, not stopping to even glance around. Eventually she turned off onto a quieter side street and they had to sneak across the road and follow more cautiously now because she would only have to turn around and she would easily see them. It was raining properly now and Hermione was already soaked. Pansy took another turn, then another and Hermione now had no idea where she was. The streets were narrow and dark and Hermione was glad Draco was with her. All of sudden Pansy turned again and immediately Hermione recognized where they were.

"Great!" she whispered. "We're back in Knockturn Alley!"

Pansy came to a stop and knocked on a door that seemed to belong to a small shop. Hermione couldn't determine what the shop sold, there was no proper signage then she realized she was in Knockturn Alley and it probably wasn't wise to broadcast what you were selling!

"This is Bradforths!" Draco whispered as if she would know what he was talking about.

"Bradforths?"

"They sell Potions!" Draco said. "Not the kind you can buy in Diagon Alley if you get my meaning."

"What are we going to do if she goes in?" Hermione asked but at that moment the door opened and a old and scruffy man with a long, grey beard opened it. They spoke a few words and then Pansy stepped inside.

"What now?" Hermione asked again.

"Come with me." Draco grabbed her hand and pulled her along behind him. They went back on themselves, down a tiny alley that Hermione hadn't even noticed was there and then turned again. They were by a metal gate and by leaning to one side they could see straight into what Hermione presumed must be the back of the shop.

"How did you know this was here?" Hermione asked but Draco shook his head.

"You probably don't really want to know that," Draco whispered back. "There's lots of things I know that I wish I didn't."

Pansy had her back to them and was talking to someone who was out of sight. The old man was there but he appeared not to be involved in the conversation.

"Who is it she's talking to?" Hermione asked standing on tip toe but she couldn't see. Suddenly, Pansy moved to one side and the other person stepped into view. Hermione grabbed Draco's arm. "Draco! That's her! That's the other woman, the one that Pansy was talking to the other day...she does look a bit familiar, do you think she went to Hogwarts?" Draco didn't answer her and she turned to look at him. He was staring into the little room and his face was pale, his eyes narrowed. "What? What is it?" Hermione demanded feeling nervous at the look on his face.

"You don't recognize her?" he asked, eventually dragging his eyes back to Hermione.

"No. Should I?"

"Yes, she was a pupil at Hogwarts when we were," Draco said. "Bloody hell, Hermione! What the hell is going on here?"

Hermione pulled his arm impatiently like a child. "What do you mean? Who is it! Will you tell me!"

"It's Daphne," Draco said, quietly.

"Daphne?" Hermione let the name sink in and then she suddenly understood Draco's reaction. "Daphne Greengrass? Astoria's sister? She's involved in stealing the potion? Merlin!"

"Exactly!" Draco stepped behind the wall and ran his hands through his now soaking wet hair. "Bloody hell, Hermione! Who the hell can I trust! I can't bloody well trust anyone!"

Hermione raised her eyebrows at him and he realized what he had said. "I don't mean you! Or Blaise! I know I can trust you two...I mean everyone else!" The light went out in the room and Draco looked around. "Come on, let's go before they see us. I think we need to try and work out properly what is going on."

**So the plot thickens! Hope you liked this chapter let me know...the ball is next.**

**Oh and I have to say OVER 600 REVIEWS WOW! That is the most any of my stories have got and not one review had been anything but complimentary. So A GREAT BIG BIG THANK YOU to everyone who had reveiwed. xxxxxx **


	31. Time to get ready

**Before you start reading, this is just a small apology because last chapter I said this one would be about the ball but this is just the lead up to the ball which will continue over the next two or so chapters, I wanted to put this lead up in as well and not have them just turn up there without any preliminaries...**

They had sat up last night until almost 2am talking about what they had seen. They hadn't come to any conclusions, Draco had been adamant that Astoria couldn't be involved and he insisted that Daphne would have had access to his keys because he had been a frequent visitor to the Greengrass house.

"I can't understand what Pansy would be getting out of doing this?" Hermione asked.

"Money of course! And she's probably not upset that it might ruin me in the process!" Draco had answered. "What is Daphne getting out of it? She doesn't need money, I'm sure her Father makes sure she's more than happy."

"Unless he's involved as well? Maybe he asked her to steal the potion recipe?"

Draco shook his head. "Possibly, I wouldn't put him past him. But his company sells ingredients, not completed potions and this all started before Astoria broke our engagement off so he would have no need to steal the potion as I was about to become his son-in-law."

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

So it was morning again and Hermione found herself making breakfast in Draco Malfoy's kitchen. She was stirring the tea when she suddenly stopped and took a step back, leaning her head against the cupboard door. What the hell was going on here? Her life had descended in utter chaos! She hadn't spent a full day at the shop for ages, thankfully Ginny and Laura were handling things admirably but that wasn't the point! It was her shop and she should be there running it. And then there was her flat! Why was she wasting rent on it? She hadn't slept there for days or was it weeks? In fact, the honest and no holds barred assessment of her current situation was that she was actually living here. She was living in Draco Malfoy's flat! What was worse than that was that she was beginning to think of it as her flat! She'd even re-arranged some ornaments yesterday because she thought they would look better her way and then Draco hadn't even moaned once about it!

And yet they were still insisting that this was a business relationship, a tentative friendship at best. What a load of total clap trap! The conflict between how they were acting and how Hermione was feeling had finally got to her and she knew she wanted more. She wanted to have a conversation with Draco about everything she'd just been thinking about but how could she ever begin to do that? And what had really kicked her feelings into overdrive was the fact that this may all be over soon. Hopefully, the potion would get registered before anyone else nipped in first. They'd charm Monsieur Durand at the ball and he would agree to supply them and she'd be able to pay Draco off. That would be it! There would be no reason to ever see each other again, her life would return to normal - only better because she would be the sole owner of her own shop and relatively well off! Free from Joshua and free from Draco. That was what all this had been about wasn't it? So why didn't she feel happy about it? Why was she feeling so bloody frustrated and miserable?

"What's the matter?" Draco's voice broke into her thoughts and she spun round quickly to see him standing in the doorway, his hair in disarray and his robe half undone exposing his naked torso. She tried to keep her eyes on his face.

"Nothing. Did you want tea or coffee?" Hermione sighed unconsciously because here was another example of how they had fallen into this homely little routine as if they were some old married couple or something!

"Neither, if it makes you sigh that loudly," Draco said and he gave her a small smile.

"Sorry, I've just woken up in a grump," Hermione said, going back to the drinks. She almost threw the coffee into Draco's cup and stirred it vigorously. It was then she felt Draco's hand on hers stopping her stirring and she looked round at him. He was really close, standing right beside her and his elegant eyebrows were raised.

"You're about to break the cup so how about I finish the drinks and then we take them to the sofas and you tell me what's really the matter?" He said this in a challenging way but she just nodded. She went through to the lounge and sat down. He knew her so well now, he knew she wasn't just in a morning grump and she knew him too. She liked him, she liked knowing him so well, she liked the way he ran his fingers through his hair when he was agitated, she liked his teasing sarcasm, she liked his little shows of affection, she liked the way he lived, where he lived and she also liked his attitude to life very much. His attitude to many things was the polar opposite to hers and yet on the things she really valued he always seemed to think the same. She felt a feeling run through her from her head and down to her toes – it was no use trying to deny it any longer, especially to herself. She was falling for him and not just in a teen idol sort of way. She really cared about him; she really had genuine feelings for him. And she really had to stop it right now before it drove her crazy!

"See! You're off in your own little world again, so what's bothering you?" Draco put her drink down on the table and sat on the sofa opposite hers.

"Really, it's nothing. I'm tired, it's the ball tonight, and it's just all getting to me..." she stopped speaking as she saw Draco's face change.

"I thought we could talk to each other about stuff...I seem to remember pouring my heart out to you," he took a sip of his drink and fixed those gorgeous eyes on her over the top of his cup.

"You mean like friends do?" Hermione said and then she sat back, putting her hands to her face.

"Yeh, like friends do," he sounded puzzled.

Hermione sighed. "Sorry, it's just that this is all going to be over soon and hopefully I can pay you off and I can go back to running my shop properly. I can go back to my flat..." she nodded, trying to sound positive. Draco was staring at her, a thoughtful look on his face as he tried to decide what she was trying to tell him.

"I thought that was what you wanted."

"It is what I wanted."

"You've lost me..." Draco's voice sounded slightly amused. "Why do women insist on talking in riddles?"

"It's just that...well...I don't think it's what I want now..."

They stared at each other for a moment, Draco's eyes searching her face. There was a pause, heavy and weighted before he asked his next question.

"What is it that you want now, Hermione?"

"What do you want?"

"I asked first." Draco gave her a small, lop-sided smile.

"I don't know, exactly..." she rushed the next words out, afraid she'd lose her courage to say them. "I don't want to go back to my flat."

"Why not?"

"I like being here...this place is beautiful," Hermione knew she sounded superficial but she couldn't tell him the real reason she wanted to stay.

"So you like my apartment?" Draco shrugged. "So I'll rent you a room, you can be my lodger. Is that it? Is that all your problems solved?"

"No, that's not it really." She looked down at her lap and then up again. What the hell! She just needed to say it. "You're not at my apartment are you?" she sighed yet again but made herself continue. "I don't want to not see you...when I've paid you the money back. I mean we do everything together at the moment and I've got used to it..."

She couldn't read him and he didn't react immediately to what she had said. There was a small smile playing around his lips, his eyes sparkling and then, without a word he stood up and walked over to her. He grabbed her arm and pulled her to standing before sliding his arms around her and pulling her into a hug. It wasn't sexual, it was just a hug and Hermione was happy to let herself sink into him. She leant her head against his shoulder and sighed again, this time with contentment. She wasn't sure if Draco had intended to say anything but he wasn't given the chance because as with the other day, the intercom buzzer sounded.

"Bloody thing! I'm going to have it disconnected," Draco mumbled and Hermione giggled. He walked over to it. "Yes, that's fine. Send her up."

"Ginny!" Hermione exclaimed, looking down at her nightclothes in horror. "I need to get changed."

"Why? You're decent and isn't the point that she's here to help you get ready?"

"Not until later. While you're out, I was going to tell her everything that's happened, I think she deserves to know, especially as she's been so patient," Hermione paused. "That is okay, isn't it?"

Draco shrugged. "Yeh, I don't care.

There was a knock at the door and Hermione shrieked.

"Merlin! I can't get changed now!"

"I told you, you're totally decent," Draco said, going to the door.

"But you're not!" Hermione rushed over and put her hand over his, stopping him opening the door. "Go and get changed, I'll answer it." A wicked grin spread onto Draco's face and Hermione groaned. "You're absolutely not going to do that, are you?"

"Not a chance," Draco chuckled and turned the door knob. Ginny was standing in the corridor, obviously wondering why it had taken them so long to answer. She then took in their appearance, Hermione in her pyjamas, her hair in disarray and Draco in his robe, which was still open, showing his bare upper half. Her eyes opened a little wider and she put her head to one side.

"Am I interrupting something?" There was no mistaking the implication of her words and Draco grinned at her.

"Yeh, could you pop back in about half an hour so we can finish?" he said.

"Draco!" Hermione shot him a glare.

"What? I'm sure Weaslette...Ginny won't mind," Draco said, still acting innocent.

Hermione pushed him out of the way. "That's not funny, now let her in."

Ginny entered the apartment and put the bag she was carrying down. Hermione saw her friends eyes take in the room and its view.

"Wow! This place is amazing!" Ginny said then she realized she was complementing Draco Malfoy and she glanced over at him cautiously. He just nodded at her.

"Thanks."

The three of them stared at each other for a moment and the Draco broke the silence.

"Well, I'll let you two have a quiet morning then. I'll be back after lunch."

"Great, thanks," Hermione answered. "I should get dressed as well. Make yourself at home," she said to Ginny who raised her eyebrows at her.

"Shouldn't he be telling me to do that?" Ginny asked in her usual blunt way. "Or do you two do everything together now?"

Draco smirked. "Mmm...we certainly do all the important stuff together," he said making Ginny look from him to Hermione and then back again.

"Draco! You said you'd behave!" Hermione said and again Ginny just stared at the pair of them, obviously surprised by their exchange. Hermione went to get ready and when she got back to the lounge, Ginny was staring out at the view. It was funny how she'd been drawn there in the same way Hermione had been. Draco appeared just a minute later, now dressed and looking immaculate as always. Hermione didn't miss Ginny's glance at him as he said goodbye and once the door shut behind him, Ginny came straight over and waved her arms around.

"Wow! Hermione, what the hell is going on? I mean this place and the two of you? The way you spoke to each other! Is it like that all the time? And do you always walk around half naked when you're together?" Ginny threw questions at Hermione.

"Woah! Slow down! I'll tell you everything. That's what I asked you to come early for so we could have some time to catch up," Hermione smiled at her friend. "And I wasn't half naked, I was just in my pyjamas."

"Maybe you weren't but he certainly was..."

"You mean Draco? He does have a name, Ginny."

"Yeh, Malfoy! That's his name! Since when did we call him Draco?" Ginny was smiling as she said this and she leant forward towards Hermione. "Is that the name you scream when you two are..."

"Ginny!" Hermione interrupted her.

"Oh come on, Hermione! He WAS half naked and believe me I did notice! I challenge any girl not to! Bloody hell, who would have thought that Malfoy would have had a body like that! Wow!" Ginny grabbed Hermione's hand. "I'm your friend, you can tell me. I promise not to judge you or blame you. I mean, how are you supposed to resist him looking like that!"

"Ginny!" Hermione said again. "I'll go and make us a drink and then I'll confess everything." She said confess on purpose and she saw Ginny grin. This morning was going to be fun.

**There you go, sorry it wasn't about the actual ball, that is coming soon I promise but I hope you really liked it anyway. Let me know...x**


	32. A gentle little push

Hermione placed the cups on the table and the girls settled on the sofas by the windows.

"I honestly can't get over this place," Ginny said, her eyes shining. "It's bloody fantastic. The carpet feels about this thick!" She held her finger and thumb out to a ridiculously large distance. "And the sofas are gorgeous and this view! I mean, wow!"

Hermione chuckled at her friend's enthusiasm. "Would you like a guided tour?"

Ginny looked back at her suspiciously. "Yes, of course I would but that's what I mean about wanting to know what's going on. Are you actually living here now? You just seem at home, as if it's yours!"

"No, I'm not living here but I have been stopping here and I suppose I'm just taking it all for granted," she paused because Ginny pulled a face. "With a good reason! Come on, let me show you around then I'll explain."

The two girls wondered around the apartment, into the kitchen, down the corridor to Hermione's room and the bathroom. Hermione pointed at the door to Draco's bedroom.

"That's Draco's room but it's probably best I don't show you in there..."

Ginny jumped up and down, ignoring her ever growing stomach. "Are you joking! I have to see in there!"

"Ginny! It's Draco's room, we shouldn't just be nosing around..." And then Hermione giggled because she realized how hypocritical she was being and the memories of the day Draco had found her in his room came flooding back, thankfully without the horror and embarrassment she had felt at the time. Knowing Draco as she did now, it seemed amusing. She chuckled, then laughed and Ginny stared at her bemused.

"What's funny?"

Hermione could hardly speak now she was still giggling. "I really do have a lot to tell you!"

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

It was almost two hours later and the girls had drunk numerous cups of coffee and eaten a quick lunch but Hermione had finally managed to tell Ginny everything. She'd started at the beginning about the potion and what it did. She then told her about the attacks and why she'd moved in and then onto Pansy and Daphne and all the recent events. Ginny had asked questions along the way but she hadn't commented much, letting Hermione tell her everything.

Hermione had then moved onto how Blaise had asked her out, how Draco had found her on his bed (to which Ginny had gaped and then laughed loudly). She'd then moved onto how familiar she and Draco had become and how it had gradually happened and suddenly Ginny's questions became more frequent and more probing.

"So he's really changed then?" Ginny asked when Hermione paused for breath.

"Yes, he has."

"And the two of you?" Ginny probed. Hermione only shrugged in response. She didn't know how to answer that question. "You're friends though? I mean, the way you were with each other earlier was amazing! It's a bit of a jump for me, Hermione! This is Draco Malfoy, the school bully, the hateful, deceitful son of a deatheater."

"Yeh, I know," Hermione sighed. "I can't even think that that is the same person! He's not one little bit like that." Hermione looked at her friend. "Do you want me to be totally honest or are you just getting me to tell you and then you're going to run off to Harry or worse still scream blue murder at me?"

"No and no! And I'm offended!" Ginny said, indignantly. "I've already primed Harry about all this, he'll be okay, I can persuade him. So please tell me, Hermione. I want to share all this with you and if you think he's really changed then I'll trust your judgement. Plus, I'm incredibly nosey and if you don't give me some details I might have to hex you!"

Hermione laughed at her friend over-dramatics. "Those pregnancy hormones are making you even worse than usual," she said. "I like him, we're friends, proper friends. He's...well he's just easy to talk to, easy to be with...and I know this sounds really strange but I trust him. I know he won't let me down or talk about me behind my back. And he's fun."

"Yeh, I saw the fun bit," Ginny said. She then lowered her voice, her eyes fixed on Hermione. "Sounds like you like him more than just a little, Hermione!"

Hermione bit her lip. "I don't know...I do but it's all been so complicated..."

"And you're telling me that you've spent several nights in his bed but nothing's happened?" Ginny sounded incredulous. "I mean, this is Draco Malfoy – playboy extraordinaire! Did he really, honestly not try anything?"

"Honestly."

"So did you?"

"Did I what?"

"Did you try anything?" Ginny gave her a smirk that Draco would have been proud of.

"No! Of course I didn't!"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, Hermione! Stop reacting like a little virgin schoolgirl! I mean, I really never imagined in a million years that I'd say this but Malfoy is hot! Steaming hot! How could you lie next to him all night and not do anything?"

Hermione couldn't help but laugh at Ginny's attitude. "You know that's not how I do things."

Ginny smirked. "Well, maybe it's time you did!

Draco chose that precise moment to walk back in and both girls stared at him, half guiltily, half amused. He stopped in his tracks, detecting the atmosphere and he stared back at them.

"What? Why are you both staring at me?" he asked and Hermione chuckled.

"I thought you were used to women staring at you?" she said and Draco pulled a face but said nothing. He slid his jacket off and undid his tie before walking over and Hermione could see Ginny's face out of the corner of her eye. She had to smother another giggle because Ginny was totally ogling him. Draco approached them and took the seat next to Hermione.

"So, are you completely up to date with the whole story then?" he asked Ginny who seemed to be slightly taken aback for a moment that he was speaking to her in a civilized manner.

"Errr...yes," she muttered. She then seemed to straighten her back and replied properly. "What a tale it is! The potion sounds incredible, Pansy still sounds like a right little cow and I hope you seriously put her in her place!"

Draco laughed at Ginny's terminology. "I intend to." He turned to Hermione. "Have you two eaten because I'm starving?"

"Yes we have."

"I'll go and make a sandwich then," Draco stood up.

"Don't you have a team of house elves to do that?" Ginny asked.

"Ginny!" Hermione reprimanded her friend.

"What? The Draco Malfoy I remember wouldn't do up his own shoe lace!" Ginny raised her eyebrows and Draco met her gaze.

"Yeh, well you're just how I remember you!" Draco said, ironically. "Loud mouthed and interfering!"

"Draco!" Hermione said but they both ignored her.

"Oh, now this is far more familiar! Personal insults, right up Malfoy's street!" Ginny pocked her finger into his chest but he grabbed her hand and kept hold of it.

"Are you like this all the time? How does Potter stand it? Poor bugger!" Draco suddenly flashed her a smirk and Hermione watched as Ginny's expression changed from indignation to amusement.

"Are you actually feeling sorry for Harry?" she asked.

"Yes! How the hell did he put up with you and her all the way through school?" Draco waved his hand in Hermione's direction and she glared at him. "That must have been far more scary than facing Voldemort could ever have been!" He gave Ginny a wink and she grinned despite herself. Hermione watched him and marvelled at his ability to completely move a situation to his advantage. And then she was surprised even further when Ginny spoke again.

"Sorry, this is all a bit strange for me...I mean, you're Draco Malfoy and I'm in your apartment helping Hermione get ready to go to a ball with you!" she said, having the good grace to look slightly embarrassed. She glanced at Hermione. "Hermione reckons you've changed and I trust her judgement so..." she offered him her hand and he stared at it. "How about a truce?"

Hermione could have kissed Ginny and she watched, holding her breath, hoping Draco wouldn't revert to his old self. His hesitation seemed to last forever but he then took Ginny's offered hand with a grin. He slowly lifted it to his mouth and proceeded to kiss the back of it and Hermione burst out laughing at the look of utter astonishment on Ginny's face. Draco let go and nodded.

"Truce accepted."

He walked off and Ginny turned to Hermione her eyes still showing her astonishment.

"Shall I show you my dress?" Hermione offered and Ginny followed her to her room. As soon as she shut the door behind her Ginny burst into conversation.

"He kissed my bloody hand! You weren't kidding when you said he'd changed!" she said. "What a cheeky git!"

"Yep!" Hermione agreed, opening her wardrobe.

"I can't believe you went to buy a dress for tonight and didn't take me with you! You do realize that could almost mean the end of our friendship?" Ginny said.

"Sorry, I was with Draco."

"What? You took Draco with you to buy a dress?" Ginny gaped at Hermione who blushed, knowing she was going to have to explain.

"He paid for it."

Ginny's eyebrows shot up. "He paid for it? Did he?" she shook her head in disbelief. "So he's lending you money, practically begging you to stay here with him, looking after you and buying you clothes?"

"Well...yes..." Hermione stuttered.

Ginny grabbed her by the shoulders. "He's rich, handsome and has obviously found his charming gene hidden under all those layers of sarcasm! And he's obviously got it really bad for you..."

"No, it's not like that," Hermione started to protest.

"Yes it is! Stop being so naive!" Ginny said and she pointed at the wardrobe. "I need to see the dress because if it's not gorgeous, I'll be taking you shopping right now to buy a new one."

"Why? What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"Because tonight you have to look alluring, gorgeous, sexy – in fact you have to look incredible, the best you ever have." Ginny pointed at the wardrobe.

"Ginny! What are you on about?"

"Just show me the dress."

Hermione took it from her wardrobe and hung it on the open door.

"Wow! This is the dress? Oh, Hermione it's beautiful! It must have cost a fortune!" Ginny felt the fabric tenderly.

Hermione rubbed her head, realizing something. "You know what? I have no idea how much it cost! That's terrible!"

"You mean you just picked it, handed it to Draco and said – this is the one I want?" Ginny asked.

"Well, you're making it sound worse and I did offer to pay but I didn't even ask how much the dress cost!" Hermione covered her mouth with her hand. "Now I feel awful!"

"So you should!" Ginny teased. "What a pampered little princess you've become!"

"Don't! I know you're joking but don't!" Hermione said. "You like it though?"

"Hermione, I love it! And thank Merlin you picked such a gorgeous dress." Ginny held the dress up to Hermione.

"Why? I mean you keep saying that. I know it's important to tonight but I just need to look respectable," Hermione insisted.

"Respectable! It's got to be a lot better than respectable tonight, Hermione," Ginny said, swishing the skirt material.

"For the hundreth time - why?"

"Because tonight you're going to get that French guy to sign his life away and at the same time you're going to bag a certain Draco Malfoy once and for all and I'm going make sure you do!"

**Hee hee - I luv Ginny sometimes. She and Hermione bounce off each other perfectly and Draco handled her perfectly as well! Hope you don't mind all this build up to the ball but it's a good way to get Ginny and Draco to stop hating each other which is important. Plus Ginny can stop Hermione messing around and finally get her to do something about her and Draco. Hope it was good. Loving my reviews, thanks so much. x**


	33. Smudged and creased

Ginny stepped out of Hermione's room and walked along the corridor and out into the lounge. Draco was already there dressed in his Dinner Suit and he turned as she walked in. Ginny gave him the once over, not bothering to disguise it and Draco gave her a smirk.

"Stop checking me out, Weasley."

"Isn't that exactly what you wanted every woman at the ball to do? That's why you're dressed like that!" Ginny answered him, putting things back in her bag.

"I'm dressed like this because it says to on the invitation," Draco answered, dryly.

Ginny walked up to him. "I don't mean the suit! I mean this," she flicked his hair which was messed up but she could tell it had taken some effort for it to look this perfectly messed up. "and this," she grabbed his wrist and pointed at his expensive watch.

"What? I'm not allowed to buy quality items?" Draco asked, indignantly. "Or do my hair when I go out?"

"No! I mean, it's the effort that you take to look like you do," Ginny twisted her lips. "And the way you walk around as if you know how amazing you look..." Ginny's voice trailed off at the look on Draco's face.

"Did you just tell me I look amazing?" he asked with a smirk. Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Yes! You know you do!" Ginny answered, not in the least bit embarrassed.

"Weasley, are you coming on to me?" Draco asked, suspiciously, not really believing that she was.

"No. I'm a happily married and in case you haven't noticed pregnant woman!" Ginny patted her small bump.

"So are you just giving my ego a boost or is there a point to this conversation?" Draco did his bow tie, quickly and expertly in the mirror then turned back to her.

"The point is that despite the fact that you've made all this effort to make every female in the room want you," Ginny paused and couldn't help but smile a little at the amused and slightly smug look on Draco's face. "Despite that, I just hope you remember who it is you're going with."

Draco frowned a little, realizing that Ginny did indeed have a point to make. "Are you telling me to behave myself?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

Ginny looked slightly nervous now as she knew she was over stepping the mark but she said it anyway. "Yes, I suppose that is what I'm trying to say," she paused and looked towards Hermione's bedroom. "I'm not blaming you but Hermione might be taking things more seriously than you are."

Draco stepped closer to Ginny who got a whiff of his cologne. He even smelt amazing! Merlin! Her hormones must be raging because she was pregnant. Thank goodness Harry would never know her thoughts! She realized he was talking.

"She isn't taking this more seriously than I am."

Ginny tried to explain. "I just mean that you're used to all this," she waved her arms around the apartment. "And you're used to taking each day as it comes but Hermione isn't and I know she likes you so I just wanted...well you get what I mean don't you?" Ginny sighed. "If you tell her I said any of this I'll hex you, by the way!"

Draco bent lower and spoke quietly. "Weasley, she isn't taking this more seriously than I am and I'm positive about it."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I'm sure because this is the most serious I've ever been about anyone," Draco's eyes didn't leave Ginny's for a moment and she knew he meant every word.

"Good...great," she mumbled a little taken aback by his answer and his honesty. Hermione would freak if she knew!

He stepped back a little. "And if you tell her I said that I'll hex you!" He repeated her words and Ginny chuckled at his clever, little twist to their conversation. Ginny heard movement from Hermione's room.

"I should go," she said.

"Yeh, thanks for helping Hermione."

Ginny found herself staring at him again. This new Draco was going to take some getting used to. "It's no problem. Have a good time and I hope you win the Frenchman over."

Ginny left and Draco stared at the door for a moment, wondering what Hermione might have said to prompt Ginny's last conversation with him.

"Hey," Hermione's voice came to him and he spun round to find her standing, slightly awkwardly by the sofas.

"Well, about time too!" Draco said, abruptly. "We should go right now, we're a bit late."

Hermione stared at him trying her best not to show her emotions on her face. She hadn't expected him to drop onto the floor or anything but she thought he might have a least mentioned how she looked. Ginny had done a great job and Hermione knew she looked the best she ever had. Her hair was wrapped across the back of her head so that all her curls fell to one side of her face in beautiful, cascading waves. Her make-up was subtle but it made her eyes shimmer and her lips look full and pink. And the dress was amazing, even better now she was made up to match it.

So, she watched Draco fetch their coats feeling a bit emotional and she tried to pull herself together. This was Draco Malfoy after all, it wouldn't take much for a bit of the old Draco to resurface and she couldn't turn into an emotional wreck tonight so she would just have to accept it. She realized Draco was standing right by her, holding out her coat for her to put on.

"Thanks," she muttered and she turned her back to him so that she could slip her arms into her coat. As soon as she did, she felt his arms slide round her and pull her right up against him, his head leaning towards her, his lips right next to her ear.

"You look utterly and amazingly gorgeous, by the way," he said, almost in a whisper. "Did I forget to mention that?"

Hermione spun round to look at him and was met with his cheeky, grinning face. She immediately felt a rush of total relief that he'd obviously not complimented her on purpose, just to wind her up. She knew she should have been mad at him but she just couldn't be because he was now bathing her in his smile and she was just so glad that everything was as normal.

She shook her head. "I could really hate you sometimes," she said but she was smiling right back at him.

"I sincerely hope not," Draco answered. He looked her up and down and then made her twirl around a couple of times until she started to giggle. "Fabulous dress, I chose well."

"I chose it!" Hermione protested and then she sighed when she realized he was just teasing her again. "Will you stop being such a tease!"

"You fall for it too easily," Draco replied. "As if I wouldn't have complimented you when you look as incredible as this!"

Hermione smiled at him and nodded her head. "That's more like it!" She patted his jacket. "You don't look too bad yourself," she said with a smirk.

"Not too bad?" Draco waved his hands up and down himself. "You call this not too bad? I'm sure they'll be plenty of women who think I look far better than just not too bad. Maybe I'll have to go and find one."

"Please yourself," Hermione grunted at him but she knew he was just teasing her again. He stepped closer and she narrowed her eyes at him. "What are you doing? I thought we were late."

"No, we're not late," Draco was right next to her now and he slipped his arms around her waist, pulling her against him. "Anyway, right now I'm seriously thinking of not bothering to go at all, I'm sure we could find something else to do..."

"Draco!" Hermione protested but when he lowered his head again, this time so his lips were touching her neck, she shivered.

"Mmmm?" His voice vibrated against her skin and his one hand slipped lower to her hips. Hermione gulped not at all sure how to respond to Draco's sudden show of affection. But she did know that he was making her tremble. That was when the intercom buzzer sounded again and Draco pulled away suddenly. Hermione burst out laughing at the disgusted look on his face from the fact that, yet again, the intercom had interrupted them in an intimate moment. Draco, who had looked slightly annoyed watched her and his expression changed until he was also chuckling. The intercom sounded again and they both burst into laughter.

"You'd better answer it, it's probably the car," Hermione said still giggling.

"I hate this thing!" Draco said before he picked up the handset and spoke into it. "Okay, thank you. We will be down in a few moments." He turned to Hermione. "It's the car." Hermione nodded and picked up her small bag.

"Have you got the potion?" she asked. "We'll need to take it in the car."

Draco nodded and offered her his arm. "Anyway it's probably a good thing we were interrupted. You're perfect and I was smudging you and creasing you up."

Hermione looked down at herself but she still looked great. And had Draco just told her she was perfect? Hermione didn't want to let the moment go so she said something quite out of character. "Yes it's probably best if we leave the smudging and creasing till we get back..." She giggled at the astounded look on Draco's face.

"I'm not going to forget you said that!" he said.

**I hope you're not all fed up that they still haven't got to the ball? I'm not dragging it out on purpose it's just that I really needed to fit all this in beforehand. They can't really act like this with each other while they are there and I really wanted to move their relationship on a bit. THey can only resist each other for so long and it still be realistic. So I know I've said this before but it really is the ball next and then they'll be a bit after it as well...hope it's still good...please let me know as I really do value your opinions. Hope you don't mind there being so many chapters - I just can't rush things but hope its not dragging on too much...x**


	34. The Ball

**Okay - here it is the chapter at the ball. Good news - it's the longest chapter yet. Bad news - you're all going dislike me a lot by the end of it so I apologize in advance...**

Hermione stepped out of the car, taking Draco's hand and she received a little smile in return. She tried to remain sophisticated but the Mansion they had pulled up at was awe inspiring. It was a huge, sprawling building with a semi-circular sweep of steps leading up to a huge front door. It was lit up all along the front showing a huge spread of windows and three stories.

"Wow! What an incredible place!" Hermione said in Draco's ear.

"Yes, he's certainly done okay out of his potion business by the look of it!" Even Draco who was accustomed to all this finery sounded impressed. The doorman asked for their invitation and then waved them through. The main hall was gigantic with two sets of stairs that swept around the edge of the room and met on the first floor landing. There was a huge chandelier hanging above them and Hermione gaped at the size and quality of everything. The hall was full of people but it still felt spacious. Draco lead her through the throngs of people and into the next room which was a large, square room, almost like a corridor because it was open on three sides to other equally spacious and ornate rooms. Hermione could see a dance floor and orchestra in the one and a huge spread of food in the other.

"We need to find Monsieur Durand," Draco said.

"Say something in French, we need to make sure the potion has worked," Hermione instructed him.

Draco turned and smirked at her. "Okay – J'adore vous habiller, mais je ne peux pas attendre pour vous aider a le retirer."

Hermione folded her arms indignantly in front of herself. "Have you forgotten that I can speak and understand French as well?"

Draco chuckled. "What? I was just testing my French!"

"By telling me that although my dress is lovely you can't wait to help me out of it?"

"You understood didn't you? That's great, it means the potion is working," Draco smirked at her and she rolled her eyes.

"Malfoy!" A man's voice called Draco's name and they both turned to see a tall man accompanied by a blonde girl walking towards them. He offered Draco his hand and the men shook hands.

"Hi, Mason," Draco said but Hermione detected just a small tone of distaste. "How is the wand business?"

"Difficult. Even with Olivander gone people can't seem to move on," Mason's voice was loud and Hermione immediately disliked him. As if he could read her thoughts he turned to look at her. "So who do we have here then?" He looked Hermione up and down. "Very nice...though I would expect nothing less from you, Draco." He nudged Draco on the shoulder and Hermione felt her hackles rise.

"Hermione Granger," she said, knowing her name would cause a reaction. "Pleased to meet you."

Mason looked down at her hand as if he didn't know what to do with it then he shook it unenthusiastically. "Hermione Granger? Wow!" he wasn't addressing Hermione and instead was looking at Draco. "So has this one got brains and beauty then?" His date giggled and Hermione glared at her.

"This one can answer for herself as well!" Hermione said, indignantly and she felt Draco squeeze her hand. Mason was oblivious to her annoyance.

"Feisty!" He said. "Is she like that in the bedroom as well?"

Hermione pointed her finger at Mason. "How dare you..." but she was stopped by Draco grabbing Mason's collar.

"Apologize," Draco said and Mason stared at him incredulously.

"What? I was just joking."

"Apologize," Draco said again and Mason's eyes narrowed.

"Since when did you care about what I say? But yeh, sorry Hermione."

"Mmm." Hermione grunted at him and he grabbed his dates hand and left without another word. Hermione turned to Draco. "Nice! Really nice friend you have there!"

"He's not a friend, he just thinks he is," Draco explained. "He's always asking me to invest in his business and he thinks we're mates."

"Slime ball," Hermione muttered.

"Come on, let's find Durand."

They made their way to the room right at the back of the house which led out into the grounds. They were extensive with a large lawn and landscaped gardens. It soon became obvious who Monsieur Durand was. He was middle aged but elegant and he oozed style and money. Draco manoeuvred them closer until he could step forward and introduce himself.

"Monsieur Durand," Draco shook the man's hand. "I'm Draco Malfoy. It's a pleasure to meet you; I wanted to thank you for the invitation.

"Ah, Mr Malfoy! It is my pleasure and you are most welcome." Monsieur Durand had a pleasant speaking voice and he smiled at them both warmly. He turned his attention to Hermione. "Mademoiselle?"

"Hermione Granger," Hermione shook his hand. "You're house is beautiful."

"Ah! Merci!" Monsieur Durand answered. "I have the pleasure to meet Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy in one night!" He looked ridiculously impressed and Hermione felt flattered. They chatted for a few more moments, Draco leading the conversation.

"I know this is a social occasion but I wanted to take this opportunity to speak a little of some business you may be interested in," Draco slipped into French. "J'espere que c'est quelque chose qui pourrait etre mutuellement benefique pour nous tous."

Monsieur Durand smiled warmly. "Ah! Your French is very good! I also hope this business you want to talk about might be mutually beneficial to us both and of course, I always will make time for a little business."

"Hermione as well, as she's my business partner," Draco nodded towards her.

"Yes, yes...please come out into the garden."

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

It went well and Hermione was impressed with Draco's business sense. He seemed to know exactly how to approach the situation and how to speak to Monsieur Durand, including slipping very nicely into French which seemed to impress him.

Draco very succinctly explained about their potion without actually giving any details. He then explained about the one vital ingredient. Hermione remained quiet during this as Draco was so good at it she was sure she would only hinder him.

"The potion, you will be registering it?" Monsieur Durand asked.

"Yes, we have taken it for registration," Draco answered.

"And the vital ingredient?" Monsieur Durand asked with a smile that Draco returned.

"Aah! Car maintenant que devra rester un secret, je le crains. Je suis sur que vous comprenez," Draco slipped into French easily and Hermione tried not to smile too widely at Draco's masterful handling of the situation. He'd just told Monsieur Durand that the ingredient must remain a secret and that he was sure he would understand. Monsieur Durand was nodding enthusiastically and still smiling.

"Bien sur! Mais je presume que cet ingredient essential est celui qui ne peuvent pas etre obtenus sur le marche en general?" Monsieur Durand asked the question delicately – was the ingredient one that couldn't be obtained on the general market? Draco nodded and confirmed with a single word.

"Precision!"

Monsieur Durand leant closer to Draco and reverted to English.

"Monsieur Malfoy, I am very careful with whom I deal in this way. I will not take risks! I do not require to take risks!"

"I understand."

Hermione, who had remained silent during the entire exchange spoke and both men turned to stare at her. "With respect, Monsieur, you don't live in a beautiful house like this without taking risks."

Draco's mouth twisted in amusement and Monsieur Durand also smiled at her. "You are absolutely correct, Mademoiselle. I am sure you are familiar with taking risks," Monsieur Durand leant towards her. "I believe that working with Hermione Granger would indeed be a risk I would consider taking." Hermione smiled back at him because his words weren't flirtatious, they were full of admiration and respect. Monsieur Durand nodded his head towards Draco before asking Hermione a question. "Je suie curieux de savoir pourquoi vous etes avec Monsieur Malfoy? Si j'ai bien compris c'est de vous deux ne sont pas amis?"

He asked why she was working with Draco as he understood they had never been friends and he said it in a secretive tone but as they both knew that Draco was standing there, listening to every word, it was obvious that the Frenchman was teasing.

Hermione smiled. "A lot has changed since the war..."

Draco coughed and they both turned to look at him. "Hermione and I are more than just business partners, Monsieur."

Hermione glanced over at him, wondering where this had come from. What story was he concocting now and how was she supposed to follow it when he hadn't warned her?

"Good! That is good!" Monsieur Durand slapped Draco on the back in a slightly condescending way. "With a woman as beautiful, charming and obviously intelligent as Mademoiselle Granger, you would be remiss if you did not progress your friendship beyond business!" Monsieur Durand was so typically French that Hermione had to chuckle at him. He was so impressed that Draco had implied they were in a relationship because to a Frenchman their romance was ultimately important. Hermione had no idea that Draco was this good at understanding a situation and turning it to his advantage. He was an expert and it was impressive. Not that she had any intention of telling him that, he was already conceited enough!

Draco slid his arm around Hermione, who tried to look casual and happy about it. "We have taken too much of your time but I hope you would be willing to discuss this further once we have the potion registered?"

"Indeed, I will look forward to some further discussion." Monsieur Durand took Hermione's hand and kissed the back of it, before shaking Draco's hand. "Enjoy the rest of your evening and enjoy each other!" He left them and went back towards the crowd of people in the garden room. Hermione turned to Draco.

"That went well?" Her words were a question and Draco nodded.

"Very well. We couldn't expect anymore tonight, this isn't a business meeting."

"I just decided I wouldn't tell you this but I can't help it," Hermione began and Draco looked at her questioningly. "You handled him and the situation perfectly. I was begrudgingly impressed." Draco's face broke into a large grin.

"It's what I'm good at, Hermione. Nevertheless, your one line stole the show," Draco nodded in her direction. He repeated her words. "You don't own a house like this without having taken some risks – blood brilliant and just at the right moment!"

Hermione blushed at his compliment and then she giggled. "This isn't right! We're being far too nice and complimentary to each other." She looked around in an exaggerated manner. "There must be something we can argue about..."

Draco laughed. "No! Monsieur Durand just told us we should enjoy each other and as he is our gracious host we can't ignore him."

"What did you have in mind? Or shouldn't I ask?" Hermione looked at him with narrowed eyes, realizing that this could be a dangerous question.

"You really don't want to know what's in my mind!" Draco joked. He then waved his hand towards the other room. "Would you like to dance?" He led her to dance and pulled her closer before setting off around the dance floor. Hermione, who knew very few formal dance steps, wasn't sure how she was moving around and not stepping on his toes but somehow she was. Draco could dance well and he was leading her easily. The room was gorgeous, decorated with huge gold and silver ornaments, the walls made of beautiful wood and the dance floor was full of hundreds of beautiful dresses, swirling and moving and Hermione loved it. She felt comfortable and strangely happy but she couldn't pinpoint why. After a few dances, Hermione excused herself to go to the ladies room and Draco said he would meet her back in the garden room once he had fetched them another drink.

Hermione took her time finding the bathroom, taking in her surroundings and enjoying the spectacle. She checked her appearance in the ornate mirror and was surprised to see that her hair and make-up were still perfectly in place. She did a little twirl and was pleased with her reflection. Maybe she should dress up every now and again, just as a treat and to give her confidence a boost. She actually looked good enough to be Draco Malfoy's partner and this wasn't belittling herself, it was just that he cut such a dashing figure being tall, strikingly blonde and obviously very handsome that if you looked anything less than gorgeous on his arm then you would have failed.

She left the bathroom and went to find Draco. As she crossed the large hall again something caught her eye and she stopped and stared, frowning. A woman had just walked into the garden room and Hermione was positive she recognized her. It was Pansy! Hermione walked slower now, glancing to her left and right but she couldn't see her. Perhaps she had been imaging things? Why would Pansy Parkinson be invited to this grand ball? How would she even be considered? Hermione shook her head. She was being ridiculous! Of course it hadn't been Pansy. Hermione moved to the corner of the room and looked around slowly, feeling slightly frustrated that she couldn't find Draco.

It was then that she saw her again, walking out into the gardens and this time from the side and now she knew she wasn't mistaken. That was Pansy Parkinson! Hermione moved quickly towards the large doors that led to the gardens and she stepped outside cautiously. The large sweep of pavement that led down to the lawn was almost empty and there was no sign of Pansy. Hermione turned back to the garden room and scanned it quickly but she still couldn't see Draco. Where had he gone? He was only supposed to be getting a drink. She turned back to the gardens and walked quietly along the wall of the house. As she neared the corner, she heard noises and stopped. She recognized these noises, heavy breathing, movement, slight gasps. She was about to turn back – she didn't want to spy on some unfortunate couple – when she heard a laugh and immediately recognized it. Pansy!

Hermione very slowly peeped around the corner of the house. Immediately in her line of view was Pansy Parkinson, leaning against the outer wall of the house, chuckling to herself. She was watching a couple, who were doing exactly as Hermione had surmised. They were making out, kissing passionately and deeply, their hands roaming each other's bodies, their breathing laboured, the girl giving little sighs of pleasure.

Normally Hermione would have been repulsed by Pansy watching this and equally nauseated by watching this particular girl, Daphne Greengrass making out with someone so passionately in public but neither of these thoughts were the ones making Hermione repulsed or nauseated. She thought she might be sick on the spot because Daphne's partner, the one who was quite obviously enjoying her as much as she was enjoying him, was none other than Draco Malfoy!

Hermione stared for a moment, unable to move. Everything seemed to stop, suspended, everything seeming surreal. She felt every part of her start to shake, a wave of ice washing over her and without another thought she turned and ran, back through the house, ignoring everyone's stares. As soon as she was outside again she apparated.

**See - I told you you would hate me! Sorry! Anyway, hope you liked the chapter though I am certain it didn't end the way you were expecting. I wouldn't want you all to get bored now would I? A little review would be great...x**


	35. Draco and the sofa

Hermione stood in her room, staring ahead but not really seeing anything. Her heart was thumping and her mind was racing. Now she was back in her own flat, just seconds after leaving the ball, she had to question what she had just seen. Had she really just watched Draco kissing Daphne Greengrass? Really?

Her logical mind tried to make reason of what had just happened. Maybe Draco had been forced to kiss Daphne, maybe she had grabbed him and kissed him. The problem was that the image in Hermione's mind didn't match with this reasoning. Draco had certainly not seemed to be pretending or being forced to kiss Daphne. In fact he'd seemed just as enthusiastic as she had been. He had been holding her, leaning her backwards eagerly, their kisses deep and passionate, his hands roaming her body.

Hermione shuddered as she thought this. She suddenly felt weak and she stepped backwards, sitting heavily onto the sofa. Hermione felt frozen, she didn't even feel like crying, it was as if she'd had all her emotions sucked from her in that instant.

Why had Pansy been there? Watching them? Something about all this wasn't right but Hermione's muddled brain couldn't sort it out. Why would Draco have been deceiving her? Had he been fooling Blaise and her all along and had no intention of sharing the potion with them? But he and Blaise had worked on it together from the beginning, was Draco really that ruthless that he was just using Blaise? This thought didn't sit right because Hermione trusted Draco, despite all their history she felt that she knew him and now he was honourable. He'd even been honourable when he was loyal to the dark side! So why would he do something so awful to his best friend? In her own case she now owed him a huge amount of money so what did he have to gain by removing her only means to pay him back? This was all so totally illogical and out of character and yet the impact of seeing what she had with her own eyes was overpowering.

Draco must have been tricked but why would Daphne and Pansy even try and put Draco in that situation? What did they have to gain from it? Other than humiliating him and driving a wedge between Draco and herself. Hermione sat forward in her seat a little – she couldn't think of any real reason for Pansy and Daphne to do what they had but maybe someone as narrow minded and mean as Pansy didn't need a proper reason. Maybe she just wanted to do it to spite Draco?

Suddenly a huge wave of emotion hit Hermione and the tears she didn't think were there started to flow, streaming down her face. Please let Draco have been tricked, please let there be a reason for this. If Draco had really been kissing Daphne and deceiving her, Hermione didn't think she could bear it. She couldn't think straight it hurt so much, it was like a stab of real physical pain. It scared her that she was feeling this upset about it.

Suddenly there was a loud banging on the door and she jumped up.

"Hermione!" It was Draco. Hermione stared at the closed door, her mind in turmoil. What she really wanted to do was rush over and throw it open but her pride wouldn't let her. What if Draco had been deceiving her? She couldn't let herself fall for it again. She needed to be sure. "Hermione! Please answer the door, please let me explain." Draco's voice sounded desperate and Hermione waivered. She needed time to think, she couldn't take it all in. The door banged loudly again. "Hermione! Please! Please let me in!"

Hermione went into her small hall and stared at the door. "I can't, I need to think," she said loudly so that Draco could hear.

"No! Hermione! Please, they tricked me! Please let me in so I can explain." The tone of Draco's voice made Hermione give a little sob of anguish. He sounded so distraught, as bad as she felt and she couldn't stop herself from stepping forward, her hand reaching for the door handle. Then the image of Draco and Daphne flashed before her and she stopped again. That image wasn't one of a man being made to kiss someone.

"Why? Why would they trick you?" Hermione asked, her voice shaking.

"Someone took a photograph! They're trying to discredit me so the potion get's rejected!" Draco's voice had calmed just slightly. "I'm guessing that in tomorrow's paper there will be a photograph of Draco Malfoy, business mogul and notorious playboy in an intimate embrace with his very recently ex fiancée sister right alongside Draco Malfoy arriving at the ball just a few hours earlier with Hermione Granger! Please Hermione! Please open the door, you must know I would never do anything like this to you!"

It took Hermione less than a second to decide and she turned the door handle to find Draco leaning against the frame, his hair in disarray, his suit a mess and his face paler than she had ever seen it. And then suddenly she was in his embrace, her arms around his neck, the tears streaming down her face. She could feel Draco trembling against her, his arms pulling her tightly against him, his head buried in her neck. She let him move her backwards as he stepped into the small hallway and without letting go of her he shut the door with his foot. Hermione clung to him, not caring what he thought or how he might interpret her actions. She just needed him and she needed him desperately.

She wasn't sure how long they stood in her hall, clinging to each other but it was Draco that eventually pulled away. His face was pale, his eyes deep grey and he stared at her in a way that made Hermione feel weak at the knees.

"She used the Imperius curse on me, Hermione," Draco said, his voice husky. "I knew exactly what was happening – I saw you when you found us but I couldn't stop!"

"Oh Merlin!" Hermione said. "I'm so sorry! I just reacted to what I saw. I kept telling myself I could trust you but all I could think of was seeing you kissing her and touching her..."

"You can trust me," Draco said, his face serious. "I will never do anything to hurt you, Hermione. I promise." Hermione gulped, her heart racing and unable to answer him she just nodded. He reached out and ran his finger along her cheek. The gesture was gentle and tender and Hermione leant into his hand. She grabbed his arm and pulled him into the lounge and onto the sofa's

"I'm sorry," she repeated. "I know I over reacted but it was such a horrible shock..."

"You didn't over react!" Draco answered her, shaking his head. "I would have thumped any guy I caught kissing you!"

Hermione looked down at her lap. "Neither of us has any right to do that though do we, Draco?" She felt embarrassed saying this but it was true. Officially, on paper, they were both free agents.

"Now you're being ridiculous!" Draco said. "Of course we do! Hermione, you caught me kissing the girl who's been trying to steal our potion and most likely arranging for her thugs to attack you! And even if it hadn't been Daphne I was kissing, you were my date!"

"That's my point! I was your pretend date," Hermione pointed out.

"No, Hermione," Draco corrected her. "You were my date, we both know that's true." He said this in a tone that didn't allow for argument and Hermione felt a small tingle run through her. "Just for future reference – because I'm sure those two bitches will try something else – I have no interest in kissing or doing anything with anyone else right now. Okay?"

Hermione stared at him wide eyed, not quite believing she'd heard him correctly. She knew something had changed tonight. Seeing Draco with Daphne had allowed her to give into a feeling she'd been fighting and denying. The pain she'd felt when she'd seen him with Daphne had brought things into perspective. And now Draco was telling her he wasn't interested in anyone else – anyone else but her? She was sick of fighting something that seemed to have a life of its own She reached out and squeezed Draco's hand.

"I'm not interested in anyone else either," she said and before she could stop herself, she added, "I've never felt like this..."

Draco grabbed her and pulled her close again and she clung to him. Again, they just held each other and yet, somehow this seemed far more intimate than kissing or anything else. It was a long time before Draco moved away. He grinned and tapped the sofa affectionately.

"Looks like your sofa and me might be spending another night together! Has it missed me?" he asked and Hermione giggled.

"I'm sure it has," she answered. She then narrowed her eyes at him. "Did you really sleep naked on it?"

Draco smirked at her. "That's a secret between me and your sofa, I'm afraid."

"Well, I think my sofa is going to be disappointed tonight because I can't let you sleep on it," Hermione said and she saw Draco's face change.

"You want me to go? You do believe me about what happened?" he asked.

"Of course I believe you! And I have absolutely no intention of letting you go home," Hermione said.

Draco raised his eyebrows. "Ah! I get it. Your bed is a bit jealous of your sofa, isn't it?"

Hermione grinned back at him. "Yes, that the problem. So you'd better sleep in my bed tonight, hadn't you?"

Draco leaned away and pulled a face. "Bloody hell, Hermione! How am I supposed to behave like a gentleman when you look like you do tonight and then invite me into your bed?"

"You will behave like a gentleman but if it's a problem and you really don't think you can handle it I'm sure some other part of my flat would be glad of your company..." Hermione teased him and indicated the floor to which he simply grabbed her hand and led her towards the bedroom.

**There you go! Have I redeemed myself with a nice dose of Dramoine fluff? I thought it would be unrealistic if Hermione didn't allow Draco to explain himself but I did want her to have a little bit of hesitation after what she saw him doing.**

**Hope you liked it...I love writing it when they are so slowly falling for each other and so slowly admitting it. Let me know what you think...thanks for all the great reviews - over 700 now! WoW! x**


	36. An unexpected announcement

**Well this story is becoming much longer than I planned. When I started I thought it might be shorter than my others but it has a life of its own and I really don't want to end it too abruptly. So onto chapter 36 and I'm thinking about another 4 chapters to go unless you all demand more of course...**

Draco threw the newspaper he had just fetched onto the worktop angrily.

"Look at it! Even the picture of us has been manipulated!" he snapped. Hermione picked the paper up and looked at it in disgust. The larger picture was of herself and Draco going into the Mansion but Draco was right because instead of them walking separately in, it looked as if Draco was holding Hermione around the waist. The smaller picture showed Draco and Daphne but Hermione hardly glanced at it because she already had that image burned into her brain. She didn't read the small writing as the headline said it all.

"Mulit-millionaire lives up to his playboy image at Durand Enterprises 25th Anniversary ball," Hermione read it out. "Eeurrgh!" She read the next line under the headline. "Has notorious playboy, Draco Malfoy really got over Astoria Greengrass? He arrived with the ever famous Hermione Granger but did he leave with her? He was seen getting very friendly with Astoria's older sister Daphne so who exactly has the glamorous, rich and handsome playboy's heart? If he really is back to his playboy ways what does this mean for his thriving business?"

Draco groaned loudly. "Okay, I don't think I need to hear any more."

"Sorry. Ron and Harry are going to go mad when they see this!" Hermione said. She placed a large cup of tea in front of him and some toast. "Do you think it will affect our application?"

"Who knows? What about Monsieur Durand? He might be revising his opinion of dealing with us right now over his eggs and bacon!" Draco took a large gulp of tea. "I'm gonna kill those conniving, scheming bitches!"

"We need some emergency repair tactic," Hermione said.

"Mmm. Let me know when you can think of one," Draco said, miserably. Hermione came around the table and put her arm around his shoulders.

"Don't look like that. We'll think of something," she said, kindly.

"Oooh! The Gryffindor speaks!" Draco said, sarcastically and Hermione stood up looking annoyed.

"How did my being understanding and helpful end with you insulting me?" she snapped and went to walk away but she felt Draco's arm slip around her waist and the next moment she was sitting on his lap.

"Sorry," he said. "I'm being a grump and the last person I should be taking it out of is you." His eyes did that wonderful melting into hers again and Hermione stopped struggling and sat still. "But if they mess this up for us I'll kill them and I'm not exaggerating!"

There was a loud knock at the door and they both stared at each other for a moment. Hermione jumped up nervously, wondering who it could be. She looked down at Draco. "Maybe you should cover up a bit," she said, indicating his lack of clothing. He had his suit trousers on but no shirt. Draco just frowned.

"Why? You've just spent the whole night lying right next to me like this," he said.

Hermione sighed loudly. "Well, just stay out of sight."

She answered the door, opening it cautiously. She almost dropped to the floor when she saw who was standing there. Ron!

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed part of her really happy to see him and the other really conscious of the fact that a half naked Draco who had obviously been here all night was just in the next room. Ron raised his eyebrows at her.

"Hey, nice to see you too, Hermione!" he said, sarcastically and she realized she was being extremely rude.

"Sorry! I was just surprised!" she said and she gathered him into a hug. She stepped aside and followed him in, hoping desperately that Draco would remain in the kitchen. Ron waved a newspaper at her and Hermione immediately defended herself. "If you're here just to give me hassle about Draco then you may as well leave now! It's a long story and I have a very good reason why I'm spending time with him so I really don't need you here to yell and shout at me!"

Ron sighed and folded his arms. "I think you'll find it's you who is shouting at me, actually," he pointed out and Hermione realized he was right. "Actually I was here to make sure you are okay?"

"Oh."

"I mean, it says in here that you went with Ferret face but he ended up snogging bloody Daphne Greengrass. I wanted to make sure you were okay. Ginny and Harry would be here as well but they have an appointment to check the baby," Ron said all this calmly and Hermione felt awful for yelling at him.

"What's the matter with the baby?" she asked.

"Nothing, it's just a routine check," Ron answered. "So?"

"So what?"

"So, are you okay? Did Ferret face leave you devastated or what?" Ron's phrasing was amusing and Hermione had to smile at him.

"If you mean Draco," she pointed out his name. "No, he didn't leave me stranded. He was under a curse when he kissed Daphne. It's a long story but I'm fine."

"Is this still to do with the potion?" Ron asked and when Hermione looked at him shocked he shrugged. "Ginny told us some bits and bobs – don't be mad at her, she was just preparing me and Harry so that we wouldn't hit the roof when we found out about Ferret...Malfoy." Ron corrected himself just in time but still received a glare.

"Well, thanks for checking on me," Hermione said. "I miss you."

Ron winked at her. "Sorry, happily married man and all that now, Hermione."

"Ew! I meant I miss your company!" Hermione said then she realized Ron had been teasing her and she hit his arm."So, what is the story with you and Malfoy?" Ron asked and when Hermione shook her head he held up his hands. "No, I want to know, really. I promise to be supportive."

"We're working together, spending a lot of time with the potion and...well we're friends," Hermione as always had a problem putting her relationship with Draco into words. It didn't help that he was in the next room listening. "Good friends but that's all. He really has changed, Ron."

Ron was about to speak when the kitchen door opened. Hermione turned to glare at Draco who was still half naked but he ignored her and addressed Ron who was staring at him, his mouth wide open.

"Weasley," Draco said with a nod.

"What the?" Ron spluttered. He turned to Hermione accusingly. "Friends? Really?"

Hermione sighed and glared at Draco again who smirked at her, amused. "Yes friends. You've seen the pictures, Ron. I left the ball in a hurry and Draco came here to explain about being under a curse. He spent the night on the couch."

Ron looked over at the couch suspiciously. "Does he always walk around half undressed in your flat?"

"He can answer for himself," Draco answered. "And no I don't usually walk around like this. I wasn't planning to stay here, I don't have any clothes with me. Not that I owe you and explanation for anything!"

"Draco!" Hermione said. "Ron, look this is all a bit awkward..." she was stopped mid sentence by another loud knock at the door. The three of them stared at one another before Hermione once again went and opened the door. This time she flung it open, expecting it to be Ginny or Harry but as she did so she was blinded by the flash of a bulb.

"Miss Granger...we'd like to hear your side of the story from last night. How did you find out about Draco and Daphne? How are you feeling?"

Hermione stared at the reporter, dazed. Before she could form any sort of an answer Draco was behind her, still shirtless.

"No comment," he said and tried to close the door.

"Mr Malfoy – have you spent the night here? Are you and Hermione in a relationship? Why were you kissing Daphne Greengrass?" The reporter had his foot in the door and Draco couldn't shut it.

"No comment," he repeated. "Please leave now."

The reporter lowered his camera and lowered his voice. "Look Malfoy, I can write this up good or bad. Give me a few answers and I'll leave you alone."

Draco almost snarled at him. "You'll leave me alone anyway."

"You've spent the night here," the reporter indicated Draco's naked torso. "You can't blame our readers for putting two and two together..."

Hermione could see this situation escalating and Draco wasn't helping. The reporter was right, he'd been greeted at Hermione's flat with a half undressed Draco Malfoy who had obviously been here all night, no-one could blame anyone for jumping to entirely the wrong conclusions. And that was when an idea came to her. She didn't have time to ask Draco and she knew she was taking a risk but she also knew that this might be their lifeline to redeeming Draco's reputation and ensuring Monsieur Durand was still willing to do business with them.

"They can put two and two together," Hermione said. "I would have thought it obvious whom Draco is having a relationship with – after all he hasn't just spent the night at Daphne Greengrass flat, has he?" The reporter was scribbling like crazy obviously delighted that Hermione was willing to talk. Hermione felt Draco applying pressure to her arm but she ignored him. "That was a silly joke that has been blown out of all proportion. Draco and I are very happy and what happened last night was just a silly misunderstanding."

"Can I quote you on that?" the reporter asked.

"Yes, please do," Hermione confirmed and she received another squeeze on her arm from Draco. He wanted her to shut up but she hadn't finished yet. The next step she was going to take was drastic and would take some sorting out at a later date but right now they needed to appear free from scandal and that meant drastic measures. "We are going to announce this properly of course but if you promise me a favourable news item I can allow you an exclusive."

The reporter nodded eagerly. "Of course. You can proof the story if I get an exclusive."

Hermione tried not to gape at this offer. She'd managed to manipulate the situation from one where the reporter was about to write a gossipy, incorrect and scandalous story to one where she would get to check what he printed before it went to press. There was a price of course and it was a big one but she'd started this now and she couldn't back down.

"As I told you we're very happy and I'm afraid Miss Greengrass didn't handle Draco's short engagement to her sister being cancelled very well. That all ended very amicably, Draco and Astoria are still friends but unfortunately I think Daphne wished she was the one who might pick up the pieces and end up with Draco. Unfortunately, the attraction wasn't mutual and I think Daphne and her friend Pansy Parkinson were trying to drive Draco and I apart," Hermione was aware of Draco standing tensely behind her but she continued, making sure she managed to restore Draco's respectability whilst destroying Daphne's and Pansy's. "Of course, it wouldn't work. Draco and I are inseperable and it's a shame that Daphne can't accept it in a dignified manner."

"And the exclusive?" the reporter prompted and Hermione could feel Draco's tension behind her. He was obviously wondering what the hell she was about to say. Hermione wished she could watch his face as she said the next line.

"Draco and I are happy to announce our engagement. We intend to do it officially in the next few days but there you go, you have an exclusive."

The reporter's eyes nearly popped out of his head and he scribbled furiously. "Fantastic! Congratulations! Can I have a proper picture? If you could put a shirt on, Mr Malfoy?"

Draco was standing like a statue behind Hermione but she was afraid to turn around. She had no idea how he would take her false announcement and she didn't want to face him until she had to. He seemed to move in slow motion to get his shirt before posing with Hermione for a picture. Hermione insisted it only showed their heads and necks as she was still in her nightclothes. The reporter seemed happy and he promised to send his story to Hermione within the next few hours for her to review. She shut her door and nervously turned to face Draco. What she had forgotten about was Ron who was now also standing behind her in the small hallway.

"I thought you were just friends," he said, accusingly.

"Yeh, me too!" Draco said and Hermione turned to him. He was staring at her incredulously.

"Sorry! I thought it would redeem your reputation," she tried to explain.

"Are you telling me you made it up?" Ron asked.

"Yes but now we all have to go along with it. For a while anyway," Hermione bit her lip nervously and studied Draco's face anxiously. His face relaxed and then he smirked at her.

"Looks like I better go shopping for another engagement ring, doesn't it? Do you think one day I might actually get engaged for real?"

**Hope you liked it and Hermione's latest idea! I am going to start resolving stuff soon and I do have planned a nice big dose of romance of course! Thanks for the reviews so far. x**


	37. With this ring

Ginny greeted Hermione with her hands on her hips.

"Is there something you wanted to tell me, Hermione?" Ginny threw the morning newspaper at her friend who caught it awkwardly.

"As if Ron won't have told you already!" Hermione said, throwing the paper back without looking at it.

"Yes, he has but I want details! Why are you now somehow engaged to Malfoy?"

Hermione sighed and started to undo the shop door. "Why are you pretending that you don't know it's fake?"

Ginny grinned. "I like to tease you. But seriously, why the fake engagement?"

Hermione explained as they set the shop up ready for the day. "It was my idea," she explained after she had brought Ginny up to date. "I think Draco wondered what had hit him!"

"Well, it's a bit of a strange situation isn't it? Was this really the best way to restore Draco's respectability?"Ginny asked. "I mean, can we expect a fake wedding or what?"

"I'm sure there would have been a better way but I was put on the spot and had to make a snap decision. And no, there won't be a fake wedding, even I wouldn't go that far!" Hermione shrugged. "A respectable amount of time after the potion is registered, which should be any day now and when Monsieur Durand has agreed terms of supplying us, Draco and I will very sadly fake break up."

Ginny grabbed Hermione's hand. "Shouldn't you have a false engagement ring?"

Hermione giggled. "Yes, but I'm not officially fake engaged yet, that's on Friday. Draco's buying a ring today."

"A real one? Based on his past record, I wondered if he had a little draw full of them for you to choose from." Ginny grinned and Hermione couldn't help but grin back. It was fairly ridiculous situation she had placed herself in after all. "Seriously though, Hermione is there anything going on between the two of you? Ron said that Draco was undressed when he arrived and that he'd spent the night at your flat."

"Mind your own business," Hermione said and began stacking a shelf. Ginny folded her arms in front of herself, indignantly.

"I'm your best friend! You're supposed to confide in me."

Hermione turned to face her. "Do you know what, Ginny? I don't know. We're in this some sort of limbo land. I mean we get on so well and I do really like him but we have just sort of fell into this. He's being very flirty and I know he does care about me but I don't know if it's all just a bit of fun for Draco. He isn't the committing type is he?"

"Is he still shagging every girl within a five mile radius?" Ginny asked, bluntly.

"Oh no, definitely not. In fact the other night he told me he wasn't interested in doing anything with anyone else but..."

"What?" Ginny interrupted her, grabbing her arm. "Are you doing a Hermione?"

"What does doing a Hermione mean?"

"I told you that you can never see what is right in front of your nose," Ginny sighed. "Was Draco upset by the fake engagement story?"

"Not really, he was just a bit shocked. He seems happy to go with it for now."

"And exactly how many nights have you spent at your flat in the last month?" Ginny asked. Hermione started to see what Ginny was getting at.

"Why don't you just get to the point instead of all these questions?"

"My point is this; Malfoy's happy to go with the fake engagement, you're practically living together and you've spent how many nights in his bed? You just said that he's not the committing type and yet you then just casually tell me that he has said he doesn't want to do anything with anyone else. Do you think this is normal friends' behaviour, Hermione? As your two best friends were boys, you'd think you would be the authority on it! Just how many times did you sleep in Harry's bed or Ron's?"

"We were kids," Hermione protested.

"Even so, you and Malfoy may as well be engaged because you're acting exactly like an engaged couple would do." Ginny nodded knowingly at her friend. "You're being an idiot, Hermione. He's obviously got the hots for you and you won't admit it but you're so falling for him..."

Hermione rubbed her head. "I can't fall for him."

"Why not? I mean join the queue! There are hundreds of women in love with Draco Malfoy."

"Stop exaggerating."

"You know what I mean!" Ginny answered, quickly. "I'm hardly his biggest fan and I don't suppose I ever will be but so far he has done nothing but help you and be nice to you. The night of the ball, I thought the two of you were great together."

Hermione's face changed and her voice dropped to just above a whisper. "We are great together..."

"If he puts that fake ring on you Hermione, my bet is it'll never come off again."

"Now that is ridiculous!" Hermione protested.

"You'll see..."

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

"Engaged!" Blaise repeated himself, having already said the word numerous times.

"Fake engaged." Hermione corrected him.

"It really is one thing after another with you two isn't it?" Blaise asked them both. "Why say you're engaged? Couldn't you have just said you were dating?"

"Yeh, we could have done that..." Draco said with a pointed look over at Hermione. "If we'd actually discussed this huge fake commitment before announcing it to the world."

Hermione shot him a dirty look. "I was thinking on my feet. There wasn't time to ask you." She was defending herself but she knew Draco would have had every right to be hopping mad at her. Luckily, he was treating it all as a joke. "You can always fake dump me if you feel that strongly about it!" She snapped at him.

"I won't be dumping you, Hermione. Fake or otherwise," Draco answered and he winked at her. She felt the increasingly familiar wave of emotion hit her but tried not to show it. After a moment to gather herself she spoke again.

"It might have helped if you had clothes on when you came to the door," she said and Blaise held up his hands.

"Woah! Why didn't you have clothes on?" he asked Draco.

"I did have clothes on!" Draco answered. "I just didn't have a shirt - I didn't have a change with me."

"Why don't you two just get on with it?" Blaise asked and Hermione felt déjà vu from her earlier conversation with Ginny. Draco looked up at his friend and smirked.

"Well, the table in here is a little uncomfortable and we might spill the potion," he said and Hermione groaned. He ignored her and carried on. "I mean I wouldn't like to have to explain the extra, added ingredients to anyone."

"Eeeew!" Hermione said, disgusted but Blaise chuckled, enjoying Draco's joke. She decided a change of subject was in order and turned to Blaise. "Any news from the potion registration office yet? It seems to be taking a while."

"Yes, it is," Blaise confirmed. "I don't know why, they won't tell me yet but I have a feeling it's to do with Pansy and Daphne's potion."

"Bloody hell," Draco said. He yawned loudly. "I think we have done as much as we can with fine tuning the recipe."

Blaise nodded. "Yes, I agree. If we change anything else there's a risk we'll have to register it all over again."

They cleared away and an hour later Hermione was sitting on Draco's sofa, just staring off into space. She wasn't enjoying waiting for the all clear on the potion, it was frustrating and she wanted to be doing something. Draco came back from the kitchen with two drinks. He sat on the opposite sofa and cleared his throat.

"So, I went shopping today," he said and Hermione looked over at him.

"Oh! I'd forgotten, did you get one?" she paused, not liking how she sounded. "I mean...well I didn't mean it to sound like that..."

Draco shook his head at her. "Stop worrying for Merlin's sake! I know you're not just after a new piece of jewellery!"

Hermione shuffled a little on the sofa. "I know but I feel that I owe you an apology. It was my idea and I didn't consult you. No-one could blame you if you were really angry at me but I did have the best intentions..."

"Will you bloody well shut up?" Draco interrupted her again. "It's a great idea! Slightly drastic but great, nevertheless," he chuckled at the look on her face. "So, as I was saying I went shopping today." Hermione nodded but this time remained silent. She watched as Draco produced a small, blue velvet box. "So Granger, do you fancy getting hitched?"

Hermione giggled at his terminology and nodded. "Oh, go on then," she answered in the same tone.

"Great, here you are then, put that on," Draco was purposely being blasé, his trademark smirk on display. He then surprised her by throwing the box at her which she only just caught. Draco grabbed a magazine and sat back to read it but Hermione just stared at the little blue box. He noticed she hadn't moved and he stared over at her.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"Well it isn't right," Hermione answered.

"You haven't opened it yet, how do you know it's not right?" Draco put the magazine down.

"I mean, it doesn't feel right. I know this isn't real, but I can't put the ring on myself."

Draco raised his eyebrows. "Hermione, are you asking me to put a ring on your finger? Will I be required to get down on one knee as well?" He grinned and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I know it's silly but it doesn't feel right," Hermione repeated. "I know you probably think I'm crazy but I just never imagined that the first time I put an engagement ring on, albeit a fake one, it would be like this!"

Draco put his drink down and swapped sofas so that he was sitting next to her. Hermione went to speak again but Draco put his hand across her mouth and leaned closer. "Stop talking, you're spoiling the moment." He opened the box and Hermione's eyes nearly popped out of her head. The stone in the ring was beautifully cut and set but it was modest in size so it wasn't that that had made her gasp. She was glad the stone wasn't huge, she liked dainty jewellery. However, the ring was exquisite. It was delicate in a beautiful shade of deep silver. The arms of the clasp were like a piece of silk that wrapped around the main band and the setting for the stone was intricate with tiny little diamonds set in it as well. Hermione had honestly never seen such a beautiful ring and she felt a lump in her throat. It was gorgeous and it must have cost a small fortune. Everything about it screamed quality and workmanship.

"Wow," she breathed her admiration. "Draco, it's absolutely gorgeous. So beautiful." She was annoyed at herself to feel tears in her eyes. No matter how beautiful this ring may be nothing about this was real. She looked up at Draco who was watching her. "This is too much, it must have cost..."

Draco snapped the box shut. "Are you trying to insult me? Isn't it considered rude to question your fake fiancée how much he has spent on your beautiful fake ring?"

"Sorry," Hermione said with a little giggle. Draco narrowed his eyes at her. When he saw she wasn't going to protest any further, he then re-opened the box and took the ring out. He took her hand and lifted it higher her palm facing upwards. He then let his thumb slide across her palm before he turned her hand over and very slowly slid his fingers the length of hers. The atmosphere between them had changed and Hermione felt mesmerized by his actions. He slowly slipped the ring onto her finger and as she watched him do it, knowing this wasn't real but somehow completely fascinated anyway. Draco twisted the ring until it was facing the right way and then, instead of moving away, he let his fingers entwine with hers. Hermione gulped, totally caught up in the moment. Draco took her other hand as well and pulled her closer to him. He had a strange look on his face, as if he was trying to work something out. "What's the matter?" Hermione asked, very quietly because she really didn't want to spoil the moment.

"If this is fake then why does it feel real?" Draco asked, equally quietly and Hermione felt her heart skip a beat. It felt real to her too and she felt the already rapidly growing connection between herself and Draco reach a new height. They were friends but now it was definitely something more but it wasn't the feeling that Hermione had felt for Joshua or any other boyfriend she'd had. It was like the connection she had with Harry or Ron but with an added and sometimes overwhelming attraction. And right now the attraction was definitely overwhelming because Draco was being at his most appealing, his eyes smouldering and his face serious as he watched her.

She struggled over her words but managed to say them. "Some of it is real," she hesitated. "For me it is, anyway."

Draco lifted the hand he had just placed her ring on and pressed it to his chest, covering it with his own. "Thank Merlin for that." He smile and his words broke the tension a little and Hermione smiled back at him. "I would have hated to be the only one of us getting fantasy and reality mixed up. I don't really know how but you've managed to get in here," he pressed her hand against his chest, "and I don't let many people in here...no-one since Pansy."

**A little confession from Draco then, hope you liked the ring moment. I thought it would be fun to let them begin to believe it was real. Luv the reviews and so many of them - thank you so much! x**


	38. That's what friends are for

Hermione awoke and realized she was in Draco's bed. The door to his bedroom was open and she could hear him moving around in the kitchen. After he'd made his little confession to her last night Hermione had slid her arms around Draco's neck and as they had done before they simply clung to each other. This time was different though because Hermione was feeling things she hadn't before. And it was at that precise moment that Hermione Granger realized she was in love with Draco Malfoy. That feeling she'd been trying to put her finger on was suddenly crystal clear to her. And what Draco had said about letting her in, when he wouldn't normally let anyone in made her think he may be feeling a little of the same and that made her melt. And yet each time they held each other like or when she slept in his bed he had never tried to touch her or kiss her or make their embraces anything other than gentle, tender and caring. How different his actions were to the image that Draco Malfoy projected to everyone else. So when he lead her to his bedroom she had let him and when he'd pulled her into his bed she'd joined him willingly. And yet again he didn't try anything, just pulling her right up against him and putting his arm across her body until they slept.

Hermione sighed contentedly. Draco's bed was so comfortable and she was so warm under his duvet so she snuggled down a little. She then remembered her ring and she took her arm from under the duvet to gaze at it. It was startlingly beautiful and Hermione couldn't stop looking at it. There was a loud bang and then a shattering noise from the kitchen and she heard Draco swear. She jumped out of bed and went to him. He was standing in the middle of the kitchen floor which was covered in tiny pieces of broken glass.

"Don't move," Hermione instructed him. She grabbed her wand and magically put the broken glass back together.

"Thanks," Draco said. He then walked straight over to her, grabbed her wand putting it on the work top before slipping his arms around her waist. "Good morning, fiancée." He grabbed her hand and admired her ring. "I've got bloody good taste," he said in his usual, over confident way.

"In fiancées or engagement rings?" Hermione asked with a grin.

"Both," Draco confirmed and Hermione smiled at his compliment. "So – after my fake proposal and our fake engagement, how about a bit of fake sex?" He chuckled at his joke. "Actually, how about a lot of fake sex? Hopefully it will feel as real as all the other fake stuff we've been doing."

Hermione slapped his arm and groaned. "You never stop do you? How to spoil a romantic moment!"

Draco bent down so that his lips were close to her ear. "Did you think it was a romantic moment?"

Hermione pulled back so that she could look at him properly. "Did you?"

"I think all my moments with you are romantic..." Draco winked at her and she couldn't help but grin at his flirty teasing. "We have an image to keep up now, we should practise acting engaged so that it's convincing."

Hermione's mouth twisted into a smile. "Stop teasing me."

Draco tightened his grip around her and lowered his head again. "Why? It's fun. You're cute when you're embarrassed." He was teasing her as he always did but this sort of teasing was different, this was more suggestive and more intimate. "So, what's the first thing we should practise?" he puckered his lips at her in an exaggerated way but before she could answer, the buzzer sounded. A few minutes later Blaise was standing in the kitchen with them while Draco made them all a drink.

"Why do I always feel as if I'm interrupting something with you two?" Blaise asked. He looked them up and down. "And why are you always walking around half dressed?"

"It's first thing in the morning," Hermione protested. "I've just got out of bed."

"Yeh, that's another question," Blaise wriggled his eyebrows at her. "Who's bed?"

"Mine actually," Draco answered, handing Blaise his drink with a smirk. Hermione glared at Draco but he ignored her.

Blaise waved a finger from one to the other of them. "So are you two...?" He didn't get to finish his sentence because Hermione finished it for him.

"Engaged...we're engaged...well fake engaged actually but today is when it goes out officially."

Blaise grabbed her hand and looked at her ring before turning to Draco. "Bloody hell, Draco! You don't do things by half do you? You do know that Hermione probably won't want to give it back and she certainly won't want to throw it at you when you fake break up!"

"Yes I will," Hermione said but reluctantly. "It is beautiful though."

"You don't have to give it back. I brought it for you, so it's yours to keep. You can wear it on another finger," Draco said. Both Hermione and Blaise stared at him and he shrugged. "What? Why are you both looking at me like I have two heads or something?"

"Well I can't speak for Hermione but I'm staring at you because you have got it bad! Really bad and yet you are so totally in denial!" Blaise said. Now Draco and Hermione stared at Blaise in astonishment.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Draco said. "Anyway, did you come here to discuss my love life or was there something you actually wanted?"

Blaise grinned at his friends. "Both of you! Totally in denial!"

"Blaise!" Hermione and Draco said his name in the same warning tone at exactly the same time and then they grinned at one another.

Blaise chuckled then he sighed. "So, that's my fun over because now I have to tell you the bad news."

"What bad news?" Again Draco and Hermione spoke in unison and then grinned at one another.

"Bloody hell, you're turning into each other!" Blaise said. "The bad news is that I had a response from the Registration office and we have been called in to discuss our registration request."

"What does that mean?" Hermione managed to say this on her own because Draco had his head in his hands.

"It means they've bloody well got in first!" he said negatively.

Blaise shrugged. "Maybe. I mean if they did get their potion in first the office will want to know why an identical potion has been put forward by us so soon afterwards. But it could also be they just need to ask us about the potion to explain more details."

"Well, we are the legitimate owners of it. Surely we can make them see that?" Hermione protested.

"I'm gonna kill them!" Draco mumbled from the corner and Hermione sighed loudly at him.

"Have you heard of positive attitude?" Hermione asked him. "So what ammunition can we use to prove the potion is ours?" She directed this question at Blaise.

"We'll explain how I came up with the idea and how Draco decided to help me. Then we can show them the first draft of the recipe and explain how you got involved. We've got a lot of back story whereas Pansy and Daphne won't have any."

"Or we could just go there right now and obliviate them!" Draco suggested but when Hermione glared at him again, he poked her in the ribs, making her squeal. "I'm joking!" he said.

Blaise was staring at them, his eyebrows raised and his arms folded across his chest. "Denial," he repeated and now Hermione glared at him instead.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

"Wow!" Ginny exclaimed. "Oh Merlin! Wow!" She turned Hermione's hand over and then back again, examining her ring in minute detail. "This must have cost an absolute fortune!"

"It had to look convincing," Hermione said. "But you're right, it is amazing."

"And he said you don't have to give it back?" Ginny asked. "Even when all this pretence is over?"

A customer who was looking at a nearby shelf glanced over and Hermione pulled Ginny around the corner.

"Keep your voice down," she whispered. "Yes, he said I could keep it but I won't of course."

"Why not?"

"Because it's not really mine. It's Draco's ring, I'm just borrowing it."

"Mmm, if you say so." Ginny's voice was sceptical and Hermione sighed.

"You're as bad a Blaise."

"Blaise? Why what has he done?"

"He keeps insisting that Draco and I are in denial." Hermione watched the expression change on Ginny's face and immediately wished she hadn't divulged the last piece of information.

"I always admired Zabini's common sense at school," Ginny lied with a grin. "And he sounds like he's still as astute."

"Oh please! You did not!" Hermione looked at her friend and suddenly leant back against the bookshelf. She was sick of denying everything, sick of fighting her ever growing feelings towards her former enemy. She rubbed her forehead and Ginny leant closer.

"Does that look on your face mean you're finally going to talk to me about it?"

"What am I getting into, Ginny?" Hermione asked. "How the hell did this happen?"

Ginny grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her through to the back office. "So are you admitting you like him?" she asked.

"Yes, you know I do."

"And you have the hots for him?"

"I don't know..."

"Hermione!" Ginny pressed her friend to continue to be honest.

"Yes. I suppose I find him attractive," Hermione sighed loudly as she said this.

Ginny shook her head in frustration at her friend. "Of course you find him attractive! Everyone finds him attractive," Ginny said. "What I mean is do you want to rip his clothes off every time you see him? Do you find yourself watching him when he walks into a room? Do you constantly want to run your hands over those muscles?"

"Ginny, just how much attention have you been paying to Draco?" Hermione asked.

"Stop avoiding the question – do you have the hots for him?" Ginny repeated.

Hermione bit her lip. "Not at first...but yes, now I suppose I do."

Ginny grinned. "Woah! Big confession from Miss Granger!" She pushed Hermione down into the chair and then perched herself on the desk, her bump making this a little more awkward than normal. She bent close to Hermione, her eyes serious.

"Hermione, do you love him?" Ginny's voice was quiet and Hermione knew she was asking this seriously. And Hermione knew the answer but she wasn't sure if she should be confessing to Ginny or anyone else. "Hermione?" Ginny prompted her when she didn't answer.

"Merlin Ginny! Why are you asking me all this?"

"So that you admit it to yourself!"

Hermione jumped out of her seat. "I've already done that! Yes I love him! I'm in love with bloody Draco Malfoy!"

Ginny chuckled. "Great! I told you the ring wouldn't be coming off!"

**Slight filler this chapter but I wanted Draco and Hermione's attitude to each other to change a little after his confession. I hope it was just the right amount of difference because even after what he told her I still think they wouldn't suddenly be admitting everything to each other. I also wanted Blaise and Ginny to realize their friends are getting serious. Hope you liked it, BIG THANKYOU for the reviews and if you can manage another one for this chapter that'd be great. x**


	39. Out in the cold

**So here it is...the longest chapter I've ever written, quite unintentionally. I did split it into two when I realized how long it was getting but there wasn't an appropriate place and it didn't flow very well so I've put it back together. I'm always been asked for longer chapters so hope you all enjoy it...x**

Ginny and Hermione were still sitting in the office talking. It was almost an hour later but the two of them just couldn't stop talking about everything that had been going on.

"So let's hope that Pansy and Daphne didn't register their potion first. That will make it all so much harder to prove it's yours," Ginny said. "Merlin, I hate them! And I'm still a bit puzzled what Daphne is getting out of it?"

"Why Daphne? Why not Pansy?" Hermione asked.

"Because Pansy is a stupid, vindictive little bitch," Ginny said completely bluntly. "After the way she treated Draco I just think she's out to make his life a misery."

"We just need a way to prove that they stole it from us and not the other way around," Hermione said. "I've been wracking my brains but I can't think of one."

"Well, Draco can prove his premises were broken into," Ginny said.

"They'll just say they were getting their recipe back from us," Hermione pointed out. "I bet they haven't even brewed it right. It took us a few attempts.

Ginny went quiet staring off into the distance and Hermione watched her with interest because she'd seen her do this before. It usually meant she was about to have an idea. Ginny lowered her gaze again. "So, you made it from scratch..." she said, not really asking for a response. "So you, Blaise and Draco are really the only ones who know exactly what is in it and exactly how to brew it?"

Hermione nodded. "I guess so. But the recipe is quite detailed, anyone could follow it and make the potion well enough for it to work.

Ginny tapped the desk. "Yes but that's what I mean. Making the potion parrot fashion isn't the same as actually brewing it properly." She nodded her head. "There must be something that you three know that no-one else would know. Just a silly little thing like having to use a metal spoon instead or a wooden one...do you see what I mean?"

Hermione sat up, her senses alert now. "I do! Merlin Ginny, you might be onto something." Hermione searched her mind again. "Nothing is coming to me right now but maybe Draco or Blaise can think of something."

"Once you think of something, then you can ask the Registration Office to ask Pansy and Daphne about it and they won't be able to answer. You'll have your proof that the potion is yours," Ginny said and then she stood up. "Better get your thinking cap on!"

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Hermione told Blaise and Draco about Ginny's idea and they agreed it was a good. However, the three of them had yet to think of anything that wasn't in the recipe and time was running out. Blaise was being meticulous, checking all his notes and running through the entire recipe. He'd been at Draco's all evening and eventually he leant back in his chair and stretched.

"I'm going to have to give up for tonight. My eyes are sore and my back hurts." He called over to Hermione. "Hey, Hermione come and give me a little rub over."

Hermione rolled her eyes at him. "Not gonna happen, Zabini."

"Oh, come on! Wouldn't you like to run your hands over the body of a proper man for a change?" Blaise was grinning from ear to ear.

"Not gonna happen, Zabini." Draco's voice came from the kitchen, repeating Hermione's words and Hermione grinned.

"Tempting, Blaise but no," she said approaching him. She contradicted her words slightly by giving him a little kiss on the cheek. "Go home and get some sleep, you've worked really hard."

Blaise yawned again, gave her a quick hug and called goodbye to Draco who appeared out of the kitchen.

"Hey, sorry we didn't help much. You understood your notes better than us," Draco said.

"I think I might have some of my notes at my flat," Hermione said, suddenly remembering. "They're in my other handbag. It would be worth checking them as well."

Blaise turned to her. "Oh, so what did you think of Draco's idea then? Did you decide to rent or sell?"

Hermione frowned at him. "Rent or sell what?"

"Your flat," Blaise answered.

"My flat? Who said I was selling my flat?" Hermione asked.

"Thanks Blaise - that would be the idea I haven't had a chance to mention to Hermione yet," Draco said, his voice laced with irony. He looked over at Hermione's shocked expression. "Looks like that discussion is going to happen right now!"

"Sorry," Blaise said with a grin. "Now is probably a very good time for me to leave."

Hermione barely said goodbye to him because she was staring at Draco, her arms folded across her chest. "So you and Blaise have been discussing my property have you?" she said and there was no mistaking the indignation in her voice.

"No, don't get your knickers in a twist," Draco said. "It wasn't like that."

"So how was it then? Blaise seemed to think it was a done and dusted deal!" Hermione pulled a face. "I know you've taken over every other part of my life but the flat is actually still mine!"

"I know it is. I was just going to make a suggestion that you do something with it," Draco explained. "I mean it's costing you money and it's just sitting there empty. It could be paying for itself or even making you some money."

"All true but also all my private business and not yours!" Hermione huffed at him. "I mean if I sell my flat where exactly am I going after all this is sorted? Are you suggesting that I stay here on a permanent basis?"

"Yes, if you want to," Draco's answer surprised her and she snapped mouth shut. He shrugged. "I can't imagine it here without you now..." Just for a moment he looked slightly embarrassed and Hermione's indignation popped like a balloon in an instant as he said the last few words. He couldn't imagine it without her here now? Was he trying to turn her into mush? But the implication of what Draco was proposing was huge. He was suggesting that her current lodger status, that was always decided on a day to day basis become something totally different.

She looked at him, her eyes giving her away because they were warm and soft. "Draco Malfoy, you do realize that you just asked me to move in with you?"

Draco gave her a small smile. "I suppose I did."

"Not fake move in? Real move in? Pack my bags and stuff and sleep here every night?" Hermione asked, not believing he had really considered what he was proposing.

"Yes, yes and yes," Draco's answer was simple. "If you don't want to sell your flat then you could rent it."

"But Draco this is all meant to be pretend! We'll never be able to break off our engagement if I'm living here." Hermione said.

"We could cross that bridge when we come to it," Draco said, quietly and Hermione felt a tingle. He was serious about this! He really was suggesting that she moved in with him. She watched Draco as he leant against the doorframe and without thinking the next words just came out of her mouth.

"So is Blaise right?"

"About what?" Draco asked.

"About us," Hermione paused just for a second. "Are we in denial?"

Draco's eyes widened, showing his surprise at her question and her willingness to broach the subject they had both been skirting around for so long. He stood for just a moment looking at her before grabbing her hand and leading her to the French doors that opened out onto the balcony. It was a cold night and Draco sat her down on one of the ridiculously luxurious outdoor sofas before running back inside to grab a large throw from inside which he wrapped around them both.

"We couldn't do this if you were at your flat and I was here, could we?" he said.

"Freeze to death you mean?" Hermione asked with a little shiver but a smile.

"Hermione Granger you don't have a romantic bone in your body," Draco said. "It's cosy under here and just look at the view."

Hermione did as he said. "I know, you're right and it is lovely." She snuggled closer to Draco who put his arm around her. "And now I'm not cold." She looked up at him. "But you didn't answer my question."

Draco met her gaze. "I'm building up to it, stop rushing me."

"You really meant it didn't you. About me moving in here?" Hermione asked. "I'm flattered but this is your home, your private space. It's a big thing to have someone here all the time."

"Someone? I'm not asking some random stranger to move in," Draco said. "I'm asking the girl who keeps sneaking into my bed every night."

"I don't sneak in and it's not every night," Hermione said. "I think you'll find I only sleep in your bed when you invite me."

"Take it that you're invited every night from now on then," Draco answered her, his eyes holding hers, his voice dropped just a little. "And in answer to your question Blaise is right," he said and he flashed a smirk at her but didn't continue.

Hermione shook her head in puzzlement. "You can't leave it there!"

"Blaise is right, I am in denial," he grinned again. "Because I refuse to believe that Draco "sex god" Malfoy has started to act like one of those sappy school boys with a huge crush and over Hermione Granger, no less!"

This made Hermione grin back at him. "What's wrong with having a crush over Hermione Granger?"

"Everything! I'm the one that everyone is supposed to fall for, not the other way around!" Draco picked up his glass that he had brought outside and looked into it suspiciously. "Have you been putting something in my drink?"

"It'll be something far more deadly if I ever decide to put something in your drink!" Hermione said, vindictively and then she smiled to take the sting out of her words. "I might have to put something in Harry and Ron's drink before I ever have to tell them I might move in here!"

"What about Ginny? Have I managed to win her over?" Draco asked but Hermione just smirked a little. "What? What's funny?" Draco asked.

"Nothing," Hermione said.

"You were smirking, what has Ginny said?" Draco guessed.

Hermione grinned. "She was giving me a little bit of advice earlier about...well, about us."

Draco raised his eyebrows. "Really? Go on then tell me. Was she warning you about how evil I am really and telling you to escape into Weasley's arms while you still can."

"Ron's already married, remember?" Hermione reminded him. "Actually, she was interrogating me."

Draco grinned. "And what did you confess?"

"I'm not telling you that!" Hermione said and she pulled the throw a little higher up on her side.

"Then why start the conversation? You can't tease me with such a little amount of information." Draco pulled the throw back towards him. "Stop hogging the cover and tell me what she asked you."

"It was girl talk, I can't tell you." Hermione was enjoying teasing him.

"Mmm...I like the sound of girl talk. Was she asking you if I was a stallion in bed?" Draco wriggled his eyebrows at Hermione who shook her head and groaned.

"Why does everything come back to sex?" she asked. "Actually she did ask me if I thought you were hot." She hadn't meant to say this and she giggled nervously.

Draco grinned and gave a little snort. "Really? Is this what girls talk about?" He nudged Hermione's shoulder. "If you didn't say yes then I want all of the money I gave you back first thing tomorrow morning."

Hermione laughed out loud at this. "Of course I said yes," she confirmed. "I also said yes when she asked me if I really like you." Hermione felt braver than usual because Draco was giving her so many signs that he liked her that she wanted to give him the same message back.

Draco, however, seemed less than impressed and he narrowed his eyes at her. "_Like_ me? Is that it? I _like_ my car, so wow! Thanks for that."

Hermione laughed again at his indignant expression. "I thought you'd be pleased I was willing to admit even that! And to Ginny!"

"Yeh, I'm truly honoured," Draco said, sarcastically.

Hermione looked over at him and bit her lip. She really wasn't considering telling him, was she? Could she dare to tell him the last question Ginny had asked and more importantly, her own answer? Again, her mouth seemed to have a life of its own and she was speaking before she had decided to. "She did ask me another question as well."

Draco was staring at her, picking up on her slight change of attitude. "And what question was that?" he asked, quietly. Hermione was instantly regretting saying anything and she wracked her brain trying to think of something else that she could tell him Ginny had asked her. Instead she moved away from Draco and went to stand up.

"It's cold and late. I think I had better go to bed," she said. She managed to stand before she felt Draco's hand on her arm.

"What did she ask you, Hermione?" he asked. He knew her too well to be fooled by her sudden need to go to bed. Hermione suddenly felt ridiculously emotional because she so wanted to tell him but she needed something back from him.

"I think I've done enough confessing for one night. Maybe it should be your turn," Hermione said and Draco stood up next to her.

"Okay, maybe you're right. What do you want to know?" he sounded sincere and Hermione turned to look at him. He raised his arms, throwing them wide open. "Go on, ask me anything you want."

A hundred questions popped into Hermione's head but she knew she had to make this one really count but what if she didn't like his answer? She wasn't sure she either the courage or the nerve to ask the one thing she really wanted to so she asked something she was comfortable with but gave her a hint at the same information.

"If tomorrow some gorgeous, sexy blonde comes over and asks you out would you say yes?" Hermione sniffed to cover her embarrassment. "And if she asked you who I was, what I was to you, then what would you tell her?"

"That's two questions," Draco pointed out and Hermione sighed. "But both are really easy to answer."

Hermione frowned. "Easy to answer? Really?"

"Yes, Hermione, really." Draco bent down and picked the throw up of the sofa and then he put his arms around her back to wrap it around her. It was a simple gesture, that could have meant absolutely nothing but Hermione knew it didn't. She knew he was trying to show her that he cared. "If I'm lucky enough to have a gorgeous, sexy blonde ask me out tomorrow then I'd have to turn her down. It'd be a shame but I think I've already told you that I'm not interested in doing anything with anyone else." Hermione had a little stab of shame that she had totally forgotten him saying that. "And if she asked about you then I'd tell her that you were the woman who changed me."

"Changed you?" Hermione managed to whisper because Draco's eyes were locked to her own and he hadn't moved his arms from around her.

"Yes, I changed once, when I left Hogwarts. I realized that I didn't have to spend my time making other people miserable in order to enjoy myself. I realized that I could make something of myself without ruining other people." He rubbed his forehead in a gesture that Hermione now knew meant he was agitated. "I thought that was a huge change, I thought I was how I was meant to be but I was wrong because that change was nothing compared to this one."

Hermione shook her head. "I still don't understand."

"No, that's because you don't even realize what affect you have had on me," Draco leaned in closer, his hands sliding down her back. "I meant it when I said I can't imagine this place without you. This is my bachelor pad, Hermione. I loved being here alone, getting away from work, inviting every half decent girl I could find back here. I thought that was what I wanted. I've never had a proper friendship except Blaise but I didn't even realize that until you became my friend. I could never understand why you, Potter and Weasel felt the need to be together constantly. You did everything together, from fighting evil to eating your breakfast! I could never get my head around it, I just thought it was strange. I had no-one I wanted to spend that amount of time with and I had no idea what I was missing." Draco paused and she saw him scan her face, trying to gauge her reaction.

"I thought I had everything I needed to be happy. What's even worse is that I thought I was happy but I know now that I wasn't happy." He pointed his finger at Hermione and then back to himself. "This...me and you...this is happy..."

He gathered her into a hug that Hermione willingly returned, her heart racing. He then pulled away again. "I don't do emotional confessions, Hermione but I have been trying to _show_ you how I feel. I don't usually give just anyone money or ask them to stay with me or move in." He moved again, this time sliding his hands down her arms until he had both of her hands grasped in his. "But if you need to hear me say it as well as show you, then I will; you've changed me and now I'm not sure how I'd cope without you. I can't seem to live without a whole load of things that I never even knew I wanted or needed six months ago. And I don't want to think about you not being here or spending all this time with me..."

Hermione had tears on her cheeks and she reached out and placed her finger on his lips to silence him. He'd said enough and he'd said what she wanted to hear.

**PHEW! That took some writing and I re-wrote quite a bit of it a few times to get it right. I wanted Draco to confess but I knew I couldn't write a smushy (yes, I know this isn't a real word), overly romantic speech from him and still make it sound real. He can be romantic of course but it would be in an amusing way or like above in a honest way. Anyway, hope you all agree with me and like the way I did it. Hermione has an idea about the potion next and I know I said this a few chapters ago but there really is only a few chapters left now. Please review (I don't need to ask really because you've all been so great at reviewing) but this was a hard chapter and I'd like to know if you all think I got it about right. x**


	40. At last!

Hermione was sorting stock with a happy, little smile on her face. She and Draco had said very little else last night but she had a lovely, content feeling that was still with her. When he'd left the apartment this morning, he'd said goodbye and given her a little kiss on the cheek which had immediately amused her and was still amusing her now. They were acting like an old married couple more than ever and the contrast between Draco Malfoy, business mogul and notorious playboy with the Draco who she knew on a personal level, was startling.

"What are you smiling about?" Ginny's voice came to her and she looked over at her friend.

"Nothing," Hermione answered. Ginny stood up, with just a little bit of difficulty because of her bump. She then leant close to Hermione and spoke quietly.

"Was he particularly good last night?"

Hermione pulled a face at her friend and sighed. "Yeh, that's it," she said, sarcastically and Ginny chuckled.

"So, you slept in your own bed last night then?"

Hermione stopped cataloguing the stock and turned to look at her friend, not able to keep her little smile of amusement in.

"No, I didn't."

"Oooh!" Ginny nudged Hermione's arm. "So how many times this week have you slept in your own bed?"

"None, but you're making it sound worse than what it is..." Hermione insisted but she did giggle because she realized that it was a ridiculous situation and who could blame anyone if they didn't believe that she and Draco weren't actually up to anything.

"And you are really, honestly telling me that you're not having sex with him?" Ginny asked. "You can tell me, I'm over the whole hating Draco thing, I promise."

"Honestly, we just go to sleep," Hermione said. "I know it sounds ridiculous."

"Totally! I mean what girl in her right mind would spend every night in Draco Malfoy's bed and not even attempt to have it away with him?" Ginny grinned at Hermione's expression. "What does he sleep in?"

"Ginny!" Hermione said in a warning voice.

"Come on! Just a little description...I'm sure my imagination isn't doing it justice."

"Ginny!"

Ginny laughed out loud and waved her hands in surrender. "It's my hormones and the fact that Draco is drop dead gorgeous."

Hermione laughed now. "Don't let Harry hear you saying that!"

"What time is the meeting tonight? Have you managed to think of anything?" Ginny asked but Hermione shook her head.

"No, that's why I'm finishing early so that Draco, Blaise and I can have a brain storming session. The meeting is at 6pm."

"Have you tried the potion yourself?" Ginny asked. "I might ask for some so that I can still fit into all my usual clothes when I'm 9 months pregnant."

"Yes, I tried it first," Hermione answered. "I asked to be taller to reach something off a shelf. It felt weird but it worked perfectly."

"How long did it take for the potion to wear off? Did you get to be tall all day?"

"No, Blaise added Pimpleplum skin as it works with the Hanging Weeds to make the affects of the potion stop as soon as the requirement is fulfilled..." Hermione stopped talking and her mouth dropped open as things fell into place. Ginny leaned forward excitedly.

"When did he add that, Hermione? Before or after the recipe was stolen?"

Hermione nodded her head. "Definitely after! Draco and I didn't know he'd done it until we were testing the first batch!" She jumped out of her seat, knocking a pile of potion ingredients over. "Bloody hell, Ginny that means that Pansy and Daphne will know absolutely nothing about it and it will mean they will brew the old style potion, the one where the affects only wear off as the potion leaves your system!"

Ginny pointed at the pile of ingredients. "You'd better leave your poor, pregnant friend to clear that up," she said with a wry smile. "Go and tell Draco and Blaise that we've solved their problem. Tell them they can thank me later!"

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Hermione ran into the reception of Draco's building and came to halt by the desk. The receptionist raised her eyebrows at her.

"Good morning, Miss Granger," she said, politely but Hermione could tell that she was wondering what Hermione was doing. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, please," Hermione gasped, trying to catch her breath. "I need to see Dra...Mr Malfoy."

"Of course, but I'm afraid he's in a meeting right now."

"Mr Zabini?"

"They're in the meeting together."

"Oh, that should be fine then," Hermione said. "I'm sure they won't mind me interrupting. It is very important."

The receptionist stood up and called after Hermione who was already half way to the lift. "No, Miss Granger! They specifically said that they couldn't be interrupted..."

Hermione ignored her and entered the lift, pressing the button for Draco's floor. She was smiled at by several people whom had become familiar with her in the offices. Draco's P.A. smiled at her as she approached.

"Miss Granger." She nodded at her. "I'm afraid Mr Malfoy is busy at the moment. I'm not sure how long he is going to be but I think the meeting will be finished lunch time."

"Yes, I know but this can't wait," Hermione said. In actual fact, it could wait of course but Hermione knew that Draco and Blaise would want her to interrupt them to tell them this news.

"Oh, well I was told they couldn't be interrupted." The P.A. looked slightly uncomfortable because she obviously wanted to do what her boss had asked but at the same time she also knew that most the rules could be broken in Hermione's case.

"I'm sure they won't mind. I'll take the blame, you just pretend you didn't see me," Hermione said and she marched towards the meeting room that was next to Draco's office. She didn't bother to knock, flinging the door wide open and barging in.

"I've got it!" she announced then stopped dead in her tracks. The meeting room table was laden with paperwork, the screen showing a diagram and around the large, oval table sat at least twenty businessmen all of whom turned to look at her in shock. Draco and Blaise were sat at the far end and they both stared at her in astonishment. Hermione wanted the floor to open up and swallow her. She thought that Draco and Blaise were having a meeting with just the two of them. No-one had mentioned another twenty visitors and staff! She heard Draco clear his throat.

"Err...Gentlemen, Ladies – for those of you who don't recognize her, this is my fiancée Hermione Granger. She is also a recent new business associate of mine and Mr Zabini's." He remained totally businesslike but Hermione didn't miss the look her gave her. She looked around the room an embarrassed smile on her face.

"Hello," she nodded at a few people then turned to Draco who was standing. "I'm very sorry to interrupt, I didn't realize that you were...errr...in a meeting."

"It's no problem. We were just going to take a break for coffee." He nodded to his guests. "If you could excuse me for a few moments. Blaise..." Draco indicated that Blaise should join him and Hermione shuffled backwards out of the room, mortified. She met their faces with an embarrassed grimace.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry..." she said in an exaggerated fashion. Draco shut the door to the meeting room and folded his arms in front of him. Blaise winked at her behind his shoulder and she tried not to laugh.

"What's the matter?" Draco asked. She couldn't read his face to tell if he was mad at her or not.

"Nothing's the matter, I just had to tell you something," Hermione said.

"Is it curry for tea?" Blaise asked, sarcastically and Hermione glared at him.

"Ginny and I have thought of something that Pansy and Daphne won't know anything about." Hermione watched the boys' reaction and she knew she now had their total attention.

"What? What is it?" Blaise asked, urgently. "I've checked everything a hundred times."

"You added Pimpleplum skin to make the potion affects end once the requirement was fulfilled!" Hermione said and both Blaise and Draco stared at her, open mouthed. "It was after the recipe was stolen, we're the only ones who know about it. Daphne and Pansy will have brewed the old potion that doesn't contain it!"

Blaise slapped his own forehead. "Bloody stupid! I'm bloody stupid!" he said. "That is so obvious I really can't believe I didn't think of it!"

"That's probably why we didn't think of it," Draco said and then he grabbed Hermione and swung her round in a circle, placing her back down again with a flourish. "Hermione Granger, you're a bloody genius and I think you may have just made us a fortune!"

Hermione grinned at them. "So, am I forgiven for bursting into your meeting?"

Draco grinned back at her. "Oh no! I plan to get hours of amusement out of that!"

The door to the meeting room opened and another member of Draco's staff poked his head out.

"Sorry to interrupt but Gadsby is asking about the projected figures and I don't have the information..."

"I'll go," Blaise said to Draco. "I'll see you in there in a minute, Draco. Hermione, just for the record, I love you!"

Hermione chuckled and waved him away. Once Blaise had left them alone in the empty corridor, they stared at one another for a minute and before Hermione had registered what had happened, Draco had pulled her against him and put his lips on hers. It was a firm kiss at first, his embrace squeezing her tightly to him but as soon as Hermione began to respond, his touch lightened, his lips tracing her own with butterfly light kisses. Hermione had no idea where she was and she didn't care who might see them because her arms were around Draco's neck and she was responding to him without hesitation. His lips tasted like sugar and they were making Hermione tremble as they slowly opened hers. Their kiss deepened and Hermione was sinking into him, clinging to him and she couldn't keep in a deep sigh, which only made Draco kiss her more fiercely.

There was a loud laugh from inside the meeting room and they pulled apart, still gazing at each other. Draco still had his arms around her waist and he leant his head close again, this time putting his lips next to her ear.

"Blaise isn't the only one who loves you, Hermione," he whispered before letting her go and slipping back into the meeting room, leaving a startled Hermione gaping after his retreating figure.

**Hee hee! I'm not sure I should enjoy my own story so much but sometimes I do! (not being big headed, hope you get what I mean). I just thought this was a great way for Draco to finally say the L word! Typical Malfoy behaviour! Anyway, hope you liked it, as always let me know. x**


	41. Truths, lies and a fight

The three of them sat at the desk in the Registration office facing another desk across the room behind which sat Pansy, Daphne and to their utter astonishment a third person. The extra attendee was none other than Mason who had the cheek to grin at them as they entered.

"What the hell is that slime ball doing here?" Draco had whispered to Hermione.

"I'm now thinking he might have been one of the thugs who attacked us," she answered.

The Registration officer was at a third desk, shuffling papers around. He was a middle aged man who seemed pleasant enough. Next to him was another officer who was younger and looking around the room eagerly.

"Right it would appear we are all here so I believe we can begin," the officer said. "Good evening, I am Mr Partridge and my colleague is Mr Baker. You have both presented us with a potion for registration. We have considered both potions but as the potions are so similar we do need to carry out this procedure to ensure that there has been no foul play. Only one of the potions can be registered with us and I will be making that decision tonight after I have carried out some investigation." He looked around the room and then cleared his throat. "Miss Parkinson, Miss Greengrass – as you applied for registration first, I will come to you."

Draco groaned and everyone looked at him so he turned the groan into a cough and then apologized.

Mr Partridge continued. "Miss Parkinson, could you explain to me the idea for the potion, what made you think of it and how you decided the ingredients?"

Pansy looked slightly uncomfortable already and Hermione watched her with interest. "Well...err...I thought the potion would be a good idea as it could do something that you would usually require several potions for." She glanced over at Draco before continuing. "The idea just came to me one day but I'm no expert at mixing potions so that is why I have been guided and helped by Mason Goode."

Mason nodded at Mr Partridge and grinned. Hermione felt like going over and thumping him in the face but she stopped herself.

"Yes, Pansy came to me with her idea and I used my expertise to help her mixing the ingredients," Mason said.

"Liar," Blaise muttered and Hermione nudged him in the ribs.

Mr Partridge continued his questioning for a few more minutes before turning to Draco, Hermione and Blaise. Blaise answered the same questions succinctly and added all his thought processes. His answers were far more comprehensive than Pansy's had been and Hermione thought that it must now be obvious who the potion really belonged to.

"Mr Malfoy, your business was broken into wasn't it?" Mr Partridge asked.

"Yes, the potion samples and the recipe were taken," Draco answered.

"Have you any idea who may have done this?"

Draco looked over at the other table. "They did."

"Have you any proof of this?"

"Yes, they've tried to submit an exact copy of our potion!" Draco said.

Mr Partridge raised his hand. "I understand that emotions are running high, Mr Malfoy but I must establish the facts and judge each party fairly."

"Of course," Draco said and Hermione admired his restraint.

"Have you any reason to think that Miss Parkinson and her associates might want to steal the potion?" Mr Partridge asked.

"We haven't stolen anything! It was ours in the first place!" Daphne spoke from across the room.

"If Mr Malfoy could be allowed to respond," Mr Partridge said, quietly.

"Because they haven't the talent to invent a potion themselves," Draco shrugged. "And Parkinson wants the money."

Daphne had stood up. "What about me then? I don't need the money do I?"

Mr Partridge moved over to Daphne. "Indeed, Miss Greengrass. Why would you think that Mr Malfoy believes it is you who has stolen the potion then?"

"He's just making things up to cover up the fact that he's used our idea!" Daphne sat down again but she glared over at Hermione. "If the Mudblood hadn't shown up, we could have worked on the potion together, I would have been happy to work with Draco."

Hermione stared over at the other girl as little pieces of the jigsaw began to fit into place.

"If you could refrain from personal insults," Mr Partridge said. "Had you discussed the potion previously with Mr Malfoy?"

"No, but I would have done if she hadn't poked her nose in!" Daphne pointed viciously at Hermione who glared back.

"How could you discuss something you knew nothing about?" Blaise said from across the room. "I thought of the potion, you had nothing to do with it!"

Daphne gave a little sniff of disdain. "Draco was almost my brother in law and a close business associate of my Fathers. I would have willingly worked with him. I thought when he and Astoria split up that maybe we could have...worked together."

Hermione raised her eyebrows as the final piece of the jigsaw slotted into place. Daphne quite obviously had a thing for Draco and when Astoria left she must have presumed she could just take her place. She obviously blamed Hermione for that not happening.

"Astoria is your sister, Miss Greengrass?" Mr Partridge asked. He rubbed his forehead, obviously used to dealing with far less emotional issues than this was turning into.

"Yes, Draco was supposed to marry her until she dumped him," Daphne's tone was derogatory. "I don't know why he was marrying her in the first place. I'm the one who was at school with him."

"Daphne!" Pansy said. "Shall we stick to talking about the potion?"

Hermione shook her head in disbelief. "You wanted Draco! This is payback for choosing your sister over you!"

"Mudblood bitch!" Daphne spat the words across the room.

"Miss Greengrass! That is unacceptable!" Mr Partridge said, obviously shocked.

"It's our potion and they stole it! I won't let them be allowed to claim it for their own and neither will my Father!"

Mr Partridge seemed a little out of his depth and Hermione knew he felt intimidated by Daphne and Pansy but when he returned to his desk he spoke firmly. "I won't tolerate this behaviour, Miss Greengrass. No matter whom your Father may be. If you can't control yourself then I will have to ask you to leave." Hermione could have applauded him. Mr Partridge cleared his throat. "I would now like to test your basic knowledge of the potion and the ingredients used to make it." He read a list of ingredients out and asked each table to describe their use and the reason they were in the potion. He then asked each table to give a small list of the main properties of the potion, Hermione made sure they mentioned the fact that it would stop working as soon as the requirement was fulfilled.

There was a lot of movement and whispering from across the room and Hermione could tell that they were struggling answering some of the questions. Mr Partridge collected their parchments and handed them to his junior who began examining them. He looked around the room and Hermione was sure he was reluctant to say the next few words but he knew he had to.

"I have to give you the opportunity to speak freely now and state your case. I must insist that everyone remain calm and refrain from throwing insults." He glanced over at Daphne before turning to Draco. "Mr Malfoy?"

"I hope you can tell that we have an extensive knowledge of the potion and that Mr Zabini has explained in detail how he came up with the idea. I think Miss Greengrass has demonstrated that she is unstable and is making decisions based on emotional issues that I wasn't aware of," Draco left a pause and Hermione tried not to smile at his clever use of words. "Unfortunately, Miss Parkinson and I have a history and I'm sure that has been the motivation behind her manipulation of the facts and her underhand actions..." Draco was interrupted by Pansy who walked around their desk and sauntered over.

"Miss Parkinson, please return to your seat." Mr Partridge instructed but Pansy ignored him. She pointed her finger at Draco.

"He's making out like I'm the one still lusting after him when actually it's the other way around!" she said and Hermione felt disgusted looking at her ugly face. "He was the one who was devastated, he's the one who would have every reason to want to steal my idea just to get his own back. He's the one who wishes my son was his..." she stopped because Draco had stood up, his fists clenched. Hermione grabbed his arm but he shook her off.

"Shut up!" he growled but Pansy just grinned vindictively at him.

"What? I'm only telling them the truth! I know you've never really got over me but even I'm shocked that you would want to get your revenge by stealing my potion," she looked down at Hermione. "What a shame you felt that you had to lower yourself to a Mudblood..."

Draco grabbed Pansy by the collar and Daphne shrieked from across the room. Hermione and Blaise both stood up and Blaise grabbed Draco's arm, urging her to let Pansy go.

"Drop her, she's not worth it."

Draco did as Blaise asked but he was white with rage. Mr Partridge had come over.

"If you can't behave in a respectable manner, I will cancel this meeting and neither potion will be allowed," he said and Pansy stepped back. "I will look at the results with Mr Baker and I would like you to all wait outside. Please remember what I have just said, I expect you all to behave in a suitable manner."

Everyone filed out of the room, into the even smaller waiting room and Hermione had to wonder at Mr Partridge's judgement at letting them all sit together. As soon as the door shut Pansy was on her feet. She pushed Draco in the chest.

"How dare you talk about what happened as if I was the one who was dumped!" she said. "I dumped you and you were the one in a mess."

"Just leave me alone," Draco said and Hermione knew he was just trying to keep calm so that Mr Partridge didn't carry out his threat to cancel all their registration requests. Pansy obviously wasn't bothered because she continued to goad him.

"What is it like being dumped by me and then Astoria? Not such a bloody sex god now are you?" she pushed her ugly face into his and Hermione could see that Draco was having to use all his willpower not to explode. Mason put his hand on Pansy's shoulder.

"Parkinson! You heard what the officer said, any trouble and it's all over. Come and sit down."

"Slime ball," Hermione said, unable to stop herself. "Why the hell are you helping them?"

Mason turned to look at her. "Apart from needing thousands of galleons?" he asked, sarcastically. He nodded at Draco. "I gave him the chance to work with me but he wasn't interested. This seemed like a good option."

"You gave him the chance!" Blaise sounded incredulous. "Nothing to do with you wanting your ridiculous little business latched onto Draco's!"

Daphne had approached Draco. "We can still sort this out, Draco," she said. "We can call all this off and register the potion together."

Draco stared at her incredulously. "You have got to be kidding!" he said. "I can't believe you've done this!" He indicated Pansy then continued. "This is about at her level but I would have thought you would have had more sense."

"I do have more sense," Daphne said. "That's why I'm suggesting this now. Come on Draco, we can register this together."

"Daphne!" Pansy grabbed her arm. "He's not bloody well interested in you! When are you going to get it?"

"That's the first sensible thing she's said," Draco said. "I'm not interested in you and I never will be. Astoria is worth twenty of you."

Daphne's eyes actually filled with tears and Hermione shook her head in disbelief. Did she really think she had a chance with Draco? And if she had ever had a remote chance hadn't she just completely blown it by her actions? Pansy pulled Daphne away from him.

"Don't go too near to him, the Mudblood is sure to have rubbed off," Pansy's voice was dripping with venom.

Draco stepped closer to her again. "Leave Hermione out of this."

Pansy turned to Hermione. "What's this then? Can't you stick up for yourself anymore? I don't remember you keeping your mouth shut when you were with Potter!"

Hermione gave her a scathing look. "You're not worth my breath."

Pansy took a step towards her, menacingly. "You're a low life, clinging onto Draco like a bloody leech!"

Hermione stepped forward and grabbed Pansy's arm. "At least I didn't use my unborn child to manipulate him! How much of a low life do you have to be to do that?"

Pansy laughed in Hermione's face. "You really have got him hooked haven't you? He's told you all the details now has he?"

"I am here, stop talking about me as if I'm not!" Draco said and Pansy turned around to face him.

"Still blubbing over it are you?" she spat the words at him. "Still got that bloody stupid bear? What sort of a grown man needs to keep a bloody teddy bear!" She laughed and it was a horrible, cruel sound that made Hermione shudder and it was the look on Draco's face was what made Hermione finally lose it.

She walked over to Pansy and tapped her on the shoulder and when she turned Hermione lifted her fist and planted it firmly in the middle of Pansy's face. After a moment of utter shock, Pansy fell backwards, grabbing her face and yelling. Daphne flung herself at Hermione but Blaise stopped her and held her against the wall.

At that precise moment the door opened and Mr Partridge stepped out. He surveyed the scene before him and then spoke quietly. "We have made a decision and not a moment too soon by the look of things."

**Well I wasn't particularly happy with this chapter - I never am with chapters that contain lots of plot or action. I don't think it's what I'm good at writing about. However, it obviously had to be written so hope it was okay and hopefully the next chapter (which is the last one unless I do an epilogue) will make up for it. It's full of Dramione and in the best way! It's also already written so I'll be posting it very soon. Leave a review and be kind x**


	42. Past, present and future

**Well, here it is - the last chapter - enjoy!**

They were all back behind the desks, glaring at each other. Pansy was still holding her face and moaning slightly and Hermione felt a little stab of triumph.

"I've studied your answers and considered everything that has gone on today. I have decided whose potion will be allowed and my decision is final. There will be no further discussion." His voice was the now commanding and Hermione noticed that the room was silent, everyone listening to his words. "There are many factors to consider and I can see that this is a highly emotional issue for everyone involved. However, I do think that it is obvious who should be allowed to register the potion." They all stared at him and Hermione could feel Draco and Blaise holding themselves tense next to her. "Mr Malfoy's potion contains one extra ingredient. Unfortunately, Miss Parkinson and her colleagues were unable to answer the question about this ingredient and indeed their potion did not contain it."

Hermione held her breath not daring to believe that they may actually have done it.

"They've added something to make it look like we copied them!" Daphne was on her feet but Mr Partridge looked at her sternly.

"Sit down, Miss Greengrass. Not only do I intend to grant the registration to Mr Malfoy, I have also called the Ministry who will be in attendance soon. The matter of breaking in to Mr Malfoy's property and stealing items must be fully investigated. I also believe that there were some personal attacks and threats to both Mr Malfoy and Miss Granger and those cannot be ignored either."

"I want to call my Father!" Daphne protested.

"We have already done so, Miss Greengrass. He has instructed that we proceed however we see fit." Hermione may have been mistaken but she thought she heard a little edge of gloating in Mr Partridge's voice.

"What! You're lying!" Daphne screamed at him and Mason had to grab her to stop her from getting around the desk. Pansy now had her head resting on the desk and she was till moaning, mixed with sobs.

"Mr Malfoy, Mr Zabini, Miss Granger. You are free to leave and the potion will be registered in your name within three days," Mr Partridge nodded towards them. "We will let you know the outcome of the Ministry investigation."

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

"How pathetic was Pansy at the end?" Blaise was saying. He was lounging on Draco's couch, a drink in his hand.

"Pathetic!" Draco agreed. "I couldn't believe it when you hit her!" he said this to Hermione who smirked.

"I'd had a practise remember? Consider our little tiff in 4th year a warm up for today," she chuckled and Draco pulled a face at her.

"I'd rather forget about that, thanks." The buzzer sounded and they all stared at one another before Draco got up to answer it.

"Yes, of course. Please tell her to come up," Draco said.

"Who is it?" Hermione asked.

"It's Ginny," Draco sounded as surprised as Hermione felt and she stood nervously wondering why Ginny was calling at Draco's apartment. Draco opened the door and let her in.

"Hey, Ginny," Hermione came over and gave her a hug. "What's the matter?"

Ginny smiled at her. "Nothing's the matter. I thought I'd pop over and congratulate you all. Harry heard the news through the Ministry. He's been put on the team that are investigating Pug Face and Green Arse." Draco chuckled at Ginny's names for Pansy and Daphne and she glanced over at him and grinned. Draco took Ginny's coat and Hermione led her over to sit on the sofas. Blaise grinned at her, still lying full length on the largest sofa.

"Hey Weasley. Got a bit fat haven't you?" he said with a cheeky grin. Ginny rolled her eyes at him.

"Like I haven't heard that one before!" she said. Blaise sat up and leant over to offer her his hand.

"Hey, big thank you for helping us with the potion," he said. "And you actually look gorgeously pregnant."

Ginny couldn't help but smile at his lavish compliment and Hermione giggled. Was no-one immune to Draco and Blaise charms? Even Harry Potter's pregnant wife?

"Yes, we do owe you a big thank you," Draco joined them. "I think that is what swung it for us."

"So what happened then? Harry heard that Pansy had a black eye or something?" Ginny asked and they all grinned at her. "What? Go on, tell me!"

"Your little, sweet looking friend here," Draco indicated Hermione. "Decided to throw her right hook again."

Ginny's mouth opened wide. "Really? You did hit her? I thought it was bound to be a rumour."

"She was being a total bitch," Hermione said. "She was saying stuff about what happened with her and Draco. Private stuff."

Draco was gazing at Hermione and she almost blushed. Ginny was watching the pair of them and she sighed.

"Wish I could have seen that! Sometimes I love you, Hermione Granger." Ginny stopped in her tracks as she realized her words had caused a reaction. Blaise was grinning at his recent words being repeated but Draco and Hermione were both staring at her. Ginny raised her eyebrows at them. "Just a term of phrase, I don't mean I actually love her...just in a friendship way..."

Hermione giggled at Ginny's puzzled reaction. "We knew what you meant."

"I'm really glad you won. You've all worked so hard on it and it is a brilliant potion. I'll be buying some!" Ginny nodded enthusiastically.

"I don't think you'll have to buy it, being best friend of one of the co-inventors," Draco said. He stood up and fetched a couple of bottles from the kitchen, handing them to Ginny. Blaise yawned loudly and stretched his arms.

"I should go," he said.

"Yes, me too," Ginny stood up.

"I'll make sure you get home," Blaise offered and the two of them left together.

Draco saw them out and then went into the kitchen leaving Hermione alone for a few minutes. She felt exhausted but exhilarated at the same time. Her mind ran through the day's events and she gave a little chuckle to herself at the thought of thumping Pansy. She knew she shouldn't have done it but she was being so vindictive about Draco that Hermione had seen red. Pansy's comment about the teddy bear was inexcusable and Hermione could tell by the look on Draco's face that he had been hurt by it. Draco may have been upset when Pansy left him but in Hermione's opinion he had had a narrow escape. Pansy would never have made him happy...Hermione bit her lip as her thoughts went in a different direction.

Could she make him happy? Were they really meant to be together? Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy, sworn enemies for years. Could they really make each other happy? She hadn't had time to think about what Draco had said earlier but she knew she was glad he had said it because she definitely felt the same way. And now she had to find a way to tell him. He'd been a long time so she went to the kitchen and found him making a drink.

"Are you okay?" she asked, leaning against the doorframe.

He looked up at her. "Yeh, it's been a long day."

Hermione watched him, her eyes narrowed. Something was wrong, she could tell. "Draco?"

He looked over again. "What?"

"You can't fool me, so come on, tell me what the problem is," Hermione gave him a small smile and he sighed.

"Nothing really. I'm so glad we won but it was bloody awful wasn't it?" Draco was so unlike his usual self that Hermione felt genuinely concerned. She walked over to him and grabbed his hand.

"I'm sorry about what Pansy said, it was totally uncalled for," she said this quietly, guessing what had upset him. He looked at her intently, his eyes darkening, shaking his head.

"How do you do that?" he asked and he sounded a little more like himself.

"Do what?"

"Seem to be able to read my mind! It's bloody freaky!" Draco did actually grin now.

"It's called being best friends with someone," she answered and then she took a deep breath. "And being in love with them helps too."

Draco stared at her, his other hand reaching for hers. "You don't have to say that just because I did."

"I'm not," Hermione shook her head. "That was Ginny's last question, the one I wouldn't tell you. She asked me if I was in love with you and that's when I knew I was."

Draco grabbed her by the waist and lifted her onto the worktop so that her head was level with his. He then put his forehead against hers and then his cheek. It was tender, intimate gesture and Hermione felt her heart start to race.

"So you won't be going back to your flat then?" he whispered and she shook her head.

"Not if you'll have me."

"Mmmm...now that might be an offer I can't refuse," Draco murmured, his nose gently nuzzling her neck.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

The following day, Hermione returned to Draco's flat early. She'd been and collected some things from her flat and she wanted to put them away before Draco got home. It was hard work lugging all the boxes about and she had resorted to magic in the end, making a pile of them in the hallway. She opened the door to the apartment and picked up a box up out of the hall. Once inside she pushed the door shut with her foot and then stopped still in her tracks.

Right in front of her on a small table was a large bouquet of beautiful flowers and a bottle of champagne. It wasn't these that made her stop and stare though, because right next to them was the small, brown and cream teddy bear and on its lap was a small, blue velvet box that she immediately recognized. She dropped what she was carrying heavily onto the floor and rushed over, picking up the box. She opened it to find a small, plastic ring, the type a child would play with. Folded into a small square was a note which she undid.

_**To the woman who changed me,**_

_**Forgive the ring, you already have the real one and I knew you'd notice if I tried to sneak it off your finger.**_

_**It's yours to keep but only if you promise to keep it on the finger it's already on because I want everyone to know you're my fiancée. No faking this time.**_

_**That was me asking you to marry me, just in case you didn't notice.**_

_**I'll be asking you properly when I get home and you can't say no because and I can't live without you.**_

_**I love you, Hermione Granger.**_

_**You're the future I was meant to have.**_

_**DM xxx**_

_**(and his fluffy friend!)**_

Hermione was laughing but she had tears streaming down her face. He was her future too and she couldn't wait to spend it together.

**There you go, you don't get a much more romantic ending than that and I definately wanted to involve the bear. Hope you liked it, I'm always sad when a story ends. I do have an idea for an epilogue for this and although I don't really like them usually, I do think this story lends itself to one. Thank you so much for all the great reviews - this is the most any of my stories has had which is amazing!**

**I do have an idea for my next story which was suggested to me by one of my lovely reviewers, Principi Phantasia. I just need to get the plot straight in my head and I'll start posting it. Make sure you add me to your author alert so you know when I start to post it (if you want to read it of course!). Thanks for reading my work. x**


	43. Epilogue

Hermione looked around the marquee which was full of her friends and family. She looked down at her dress and fidgeted. The dress might be beautiful but it was uncomfortable and her shoes were pinching her toes.

"Auntie Hermione!" a small voice said. "They're getting married!"

"Ssshh!" Ginny reprimanded her son. "Let me tell Auntie Hermione."

"Tell me what? Who's getting married?" Hermione asked, bending down and giving James a huge hug.

"You look pretty," the little boy said, his eyes wide.

"Thank you, you look very handsome!" Hermione grinned at James and then looked over at Ginny.

"Neville has just proposed to Luna!" Ginny's eyes were shining. "It was so romantic and fancy proposing at a wedding!"

"Wow! That's great news," Hermione agreed.

"Evidently he asked Draco if he would mind him doing it here," Ginny said. "How lovely!"

Hermione gazed around the room. "Where is Draco, anyway? I haven't seen him for ages! I hope he hasn't left me already or that might qualify as the shortest marriage in history."

Ginny chuckled. "No, he's over the back with Ron and Blaise."

"Ron?" Hermione's tone of voice indicated her apprehension at this news.

"It's okay, they are all on their best behaviour," Ginny reassured her. "I think even Ron has got used to the idea of you and Draco now, Mrs Malfoy."

"Oh please! I really don't like that. Narcissa is Mrs Malfoy, not me!" Hermione pulled a face.

"She looks happy as well!" Ginny said, peering over at Hermione's new Mother-in-Law.

"Yes, she's been fine."

Ginny took Hermione's arm. "I have some news as well..."

Hermione raised her eyebrows at her friend. "Are you?" she asked and Ginny pulled a face.

"How did you guess so quickly?"

"Sorry. It's just a bit obvious, you've been as grumpy as you were last time!" Hermione said, knowing her friend was telling her she was pregnant again.

"Charming!"

"Sorry! And congratulations! Today is full of great news, isn't it?"

"What great news is that?" Draco asked as he approached. Hermione looked over at Ginny to see if she wanted to tell him or if it was still a secret. Ginny moved closer to Draco who stared down at her. She then grabbed his hand and put it on her stomach. Hermione grinned at their easiness with each other, remembering Ginny's outburst the first time Draco had entered her shop. They got on well now, both having the same wicked sense of humour.

"Another little Potter?" Draco asked and Ginny slapped his arm.

"Thanks," she said.

"Hey, just kidding. This little Potter is great," Draco ruffled James hair. "I'm sure the next one will be too. Congratulations."

Ginny grinned at him and let James pull her away towards the food table. Draco slid his arms around Hermione and put his lips near to her ear.

"When can we leave, Mrs Malfoy? I might need to drag you behind the marquee if we don't get to be alone soon."

Hermione extracted herself from her new husband. "We can't leave yet! I only get one wedding party and I'm not going to miss half of it. Come and dance with me."

Draco followed Hermione to the dance floor and they danced to the song. Hermione caught glimpses of her friends around the room and she felt that this was a very special and precious moment because who would have thought that Harry and Ron would have accepted Draco? They weren't great friends but Hermione had noticed that lately they were including Draco willingly in everything. She would have married him regardless of course but it was nice to have their approval.

The wedding had been a lavish affair and for once Hermione had enjoyed being frivolous with money because apart from the fact she had just married into one of the richest families in the wizarding world, she was now a rich woman in her own right. All because of the potion which had taken off and was the potion that everyone wanted.

She let her gaze fall onto her handsome husband who grinned at her. Their relationship was amazing, considering their history because just being near to Draco was enough to make her feel happy. They still argued a lot and then made up a lot and Hermione didn't want it any other way. She would always be strong willed and Draco would always be pig headed and if they stopped arguing it would mean that one of them had changed and she didn't want that.

Draco had wanted her to come and work for him but she had refused, insisting on running the shop. She didn't need the income any longer but it didn't matter. She just loved working there and she had no intention of giving it up.

Draco's voice interrupted her thoughts. "I think I might love you..."

She looked up at him. "Yeh, I think I might love you too. I don't know why because you're a pain in the..."

Draco put his hand over her mouth. "Ah! You can't swear while you're wearing virginal white."

"Yes, well we both know that's a lie as well, don't we?" Hermione said, dryly.

"Thank Merlin!" Draco said with a grin. "I really would be dragging you behind the marquee if that was the case!"

"You've corrupted me in every way possible! Lying, sneaking around, stealing, dealing with less than legitimate potion ingredient suppliers and taking me to bed before we were legally man and wife! I was pure as the driven snow before I met you!"

Draco grinned, not in the least bit insulted. "You wouldn't like me so much if I wasn't a bad boy." She felt Draco's hand slip lower onto her hip and she looked up at him and chuckled.

"I suppose we could go soon..." she said and was rewarded with a huge grin from Draco.

**So, just a quick epilogue. I didn't want to make it a story in itself but hopefully it ties up all the ends nicely. I'm just about to post my new story called One so please check it out. x**


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